


We Won´t Die Quietly

by Addictedforevermore



Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Attempted Kidnapping, BAMF Kaito Kid, BAMF Kudo Shinichi, BAMF Kuroba Kaito, Badass Kudo Shinichi, Badass Kuroba Kaito, Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan/Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Smut, Hurt Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan, Kidnapping, Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid Needs a Hug, M/M, Murder, Murder cases, Nightmares, POV Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan, POV Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid, Pandora - Freeform, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Kaito Kid, Protective Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan, Shinichi is good with children, Soulmates, Time Loop, Time Travel, a bit of smut, but together they are strong, dying in the former time loops, protective kaito, protective kuroba kaito, smart Kudo Shinichi, smart Kuroba Kaito
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:09:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 21,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25655677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Addictedforevermore/pseuds/Addictedforevermore
Summary: Shinichi has seen death, has survived torture, has killed and he will do it all over again.What choice does he have anyway?It´s fight back or die quietly...But maybe this time will be different?With Kaito at his side from the very start, the detective and the thief may even have a fighting chance!
Relationships: Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan/Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid
Comments: 26
Kudos: 206





	1. Killing Shot

**Author's Note:**

> I don´t own Detective Conan!  
> Otherwise the pairing would certainly be different...I have nothing against Ran...but well...
> 
> Thanks to my beta!
> 
> And I hope you enjoy this story!

**POV Shinichi**

“Shinichi!” A desperate cry tore through the gunfire. Fuck! Fuck… “They are almost here!”

“I can hear a helicopter…” The conclusion was clear.

They were fucked. Escaping was almost impossible now. High up on a skyscraper, men with guns storming up from below, a helicopter in the air to provide them support.

“The hand glider was hit.” Frantically Shinichi searched for an out, his brain discarding plans rapidly.

He supported Kaito, who had been shot in the leg. He was clutching Pandora desperately in his free hand, not daring to put it in his pocket, he had to keep hold of it, had to make sure not to lose it. They had come too far…had gone through too much. Was this really the end?! Kaito groaned, leaning even more on his lover.

“Don´t…please…”, Shinichi´s voice cracked, he coughed, the smokebomb from earlier still had its effects. “Maybe, if you…”.

“NO!”, panic but also deep determination clear in is voice. A cold wind ruffled their hair, making them look like soldiers in an action movie. “I will not leave you behind…never mind that I would be dead within a day anyway.”

The thief affectionately nuzzled Shinichi´s cheek. Glancing into each others eyes, unspoke words of love travelled between them. They moon shining above them giving them some comfort. A sudden short, but passionate, kiss was all the love declaration they needed.

“Let´s go out guns blazing!”

“We won´t be the only ones dying tonight.” With that Shinichi manoeuvred his love closer to the wall next to the door, until he was leaning on it.

Seconds later both men were positioned left and right from the door, clutching their guns, aiming them with the intent to kill. Playtime was long over. With a bang the door flew open. The next few minutes were hell. Gunfire, explosions, pained cries… Shinichi had long abandoned his post and was right next to Kaito now.

“Everything must come to an end. You never stood a single chance anyway”, Gin´s dark chuckle was accompanied with a shot.

He was seeing the bullet come closer. Unable to do anything as the scene played out before him in slow motion. His heartbeat drowning out all other sounds.

“KAITO!” The bullet pierced his head, he was dead instantly.

Shinichi caught him midfall, only for his legs to give out. The next few minutes were agonizing. Gin had fun tormenting him, not with actions but with his words. While the detective could only stare down at the lifeless from of his lover, his everything. He desperately wished they weren´t wearing Kevlar vests, wished he were dead already.

Silent tears were running down his face, he didn´t care if any of the Black Organization members saw them. He couldn´t do this anymore. This time was supposed to be different. This time he hadn’t been alone. Pandora was still in his grip, drenched with both their blood.

“You are pathetic”, were the last words he heard before the darkness claimed him.

**POV Kaito**

He woke up gasping for air.

"Shinichi!"

His chest was heaving, eyes wide and frantic. Kaito searched his surroundings.

What the fuck was this? Hallucination? Some kind of drug? Dream?

Calm the fuck down!

Forcing himself to slow his breathing, he investigated the room. This was his childhood room, his bedroom. Staggering up, he pulled the phone on the nightstand, his old phone, close. The date…the year, this was elven years ago. Hastily he checked the calendar in his room, the year on his clock, the year on an article in the internet. Fuck…shit, how can this happen?

Think, think logically! Shinichi had rubbed off of him:

“When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains however improbable must be the truth…” One last test.

Checking his clothing, his was in pyjamas, he searched for a weapon. He was too vulnerable without a gun, without any kind of weapon. The instinct to never walk around without his gun had been ingrained deeply, making him twitch. He found an umbrella in the corner, not ideal, but it had to do for now. Instincts made his descent down the stairs almost silently. Someone was in the kitchen. The radio was playing. Peeking around the corner, he let go of all the air in his lungs with a wosh. His mother…his young mother was standing at the stove.

“Mom…”, his voice was meek, small, disbelieving.

“Kaito, what are you doing with the umbrella? Hurry up and change. Aoko will be by any minute now…” When he just stood there, frozen like a rook, a concerned frown appeared on her face. “Kaito?”

He forced the word out. “Aoko?”

“Yes, you two wanted to test out the new cake shop remember?” He nodded stiffly. “Are you alright? Do you feel sick? Should I not leave for my trip today?” Before his mother could touch his forehead, Kaito forcibly ripped himself out of his stupor. Staggering back, he pulled on his poker face.

“I am fine, don´t worry. I just had this strange dream…”, shaking his head, as if to get rid of this strange dream, Kaito winked.

“Are you sure? If you don´t want me to leave you home alone…”, she ended the sentence uncertain.

“No, no. I am fine. I know how much you are looking forward to... Florida.” Clambering up the stairs again, he had to force himself to make some noise, while doing so. He heard his mother chuckle. Closing his bedroom door behind himself, he rested his head on it. Eleven years, 11 fucking years…he was 11 years in the past…

“Shinichi”, he whispered.

He needed his Shinichi. Right the fuck now!

Calm down, gather facts, for now he needed to play his role. Put on his poker face and pretend he didn´t just die, didn´t just kill several people before Gin outed him with a headshot. Shinichi…

Manically he went through the motions of putting on clothes, then went into the bathroom… The face in the mirror…it was…he looked too naive, so childish, so… But his eyes, his eyes spoke a completely different language. Anguish, sorrow, panic, longing, fear…darkness. Poker face!

The doorbell rang. He was Kuroba Kaito , a 17-year-old hobby magician! Repeating this over and over in his head, he made his way down.

“KAITO!”, he suppressed a flinch.

Shit, he was not in danger right now, he was not on the run. The loud shout of his childhood friend, wouldn´t result in death and destruction. The grin he plastered on his face was almost painful.

Running down the stairs, he greeted her: “Aoko, I am coming.”

“Bakakaito! You wanted to meet me at my house ten minutes ago! You told me yesterday, that this time you would be on time and even wait at my house for me and not the other way around like it always is!” Evading a punch, he pulled out a flower and presented it to her. “Sorry, but now I am here.” The next few hours were pure torture. He wanted to find his Shinichi, he needed to find his Shinichi. Needed to know if he was alone, and even if he was…honestly, he just wanted to be close to his Shinichi.

Was is an offence if he captured the high school detective to hug him all day? Probably… He was anxious. Could not suppress the need to look over his shoulder all the time, could not stop the strong urge to scan the area, check for the next best escape route, position himself in places easy defendable.

“You aren´t listening again! Bakakaito, are you planning one of your magic tricks again?!”

“Aoko, I…there is someone I need to meet. You can find your way home on your own, we´ll see each other on Monday”, before she was able to answer him, Kaito had already payed for his cake and run out of the shop, leaving a gaping Aoko behind.

Half an hour later he was ringing the doorbell of Kudo manor, no one answered. He was a thief, so what was the next logical step? Correct. Breaking and entering. Nobody was inside. Though obviously someone lived here, meaning: Shinichi was still in his 17-year-old body. He searched for a calendar.

_Date with Ran in Tropical Island_

Shit, shit…without thinking further Kaito ran out of the house, if Shinichi didn´t remember then he would at least make sure he didn´t have to go through the pain of being Conan.

He was out of breath, the muscles in his legs burning. Shinichi had explained that fateful day to him, had even shown him the building where he had observed the Black Org deal. There! Shinichi! He had no time to think. Moving out of instinct, Kaito tackled his detective into a bush, pressing him down with his body, keeping a hand above his mouth.

“Shh, please. Quite!” He must look like a hysterical weirdo.

The teenager beneath him stared at him in shock, eyes wide, limbs going limb for a few seconds. Kaito could almost see the deductions spinning in his brain. Then he began to struggle again.

“Stay put. Please, it´s…Shinichi, you need to… Argh, I know I sound crazy and I know you don´t even know me but…please”, somewhere his pleading had turned even more desperate, a tear escaping his eyes.

“Kaito.” The small word changed everything.

The thief froze, brain booting down, he was only able to stare at his only hope. His restraining grip weakened enough for Shinichi to brush one arm free and pull Kaito flush down onto him.

“Kaito”, came the choked off sound again.

“Shinichi”, equally charged with pain.

They stayed hidden in the bush, just holding each other for quite a while.

“Come on, up. We need to get somewhere safe.” Kaito unwilling to even think about stop touching his love, simply pulled him up together with himself, keeping one arm captured. They were silent on the way to Kudo manor. Only when the door shut behind them, did Kaito speak.

“You remember?”

Even if the detective weren’t able to see through Kaito like glass, he would have noticed to weight of that question, the total destruction its answer could cause.

“Yes. I remember you, Kuroba Kaito, Kaito Kid, I remember fighting against them, you being…”, his breath hitched, “shot dead…” Shinichi moved into the big library, facing the huge window. Kaito immediately followed suit, his grip not loosening.

“Then why…if you knew, what would happen?” Shinichi shuddered, bowing his head.

He was too far away. Kaito pulled Shinichi even closer, pressing him flush to his body, embracing him as best as possible.

“Kaito…”, then a small cry and another shudder.

Kaito felt his shirt dampen. He felt it like a dagger in his heart, his throat closing. Shinichi almost never cried, he hated showing his emotions, his weakness, too openly. Slowly the duo sank to the floor, Shinichi in Kaito´s lap.

“Shh, I am with you. You are not alone. My love, my beloved detective.” It was heartbreaking to witness, especially because Shinichi didn´t make a single sound as he cried, except the occasional gasp for air.

After a while he only sniffled silently, still clutching Kaito like a lifeline.

“This is not my first time. I…I am stuck in a time loop, I have…this will be my sixth time starting anew.” Kaito felt like the air was sucked out of his lungs.

“Fuck.” Silence. “Were you…that is…”

“I was always alone. I would never have guessed you being sucked into this time loop as well.”

“Why did...”, it was a testament for the nine years they had spent on the run together, four of them only Kaito and him, for Shinichi to be able to answer the half-formed questions.

“I tried staying Shinichi twice, and it always ended in my death sooner, then if I let myself be turned into Conan. The last loop, with you…I even let myself believe this time we would be able to beat the Black Org, this time I would finally be free…finally get a life…”

Kaito pulled his lover into a passionate kiss, full of emotion. Shinichi gasped, pressing closer, giving back as good as he got. A quiet moan spurred Kaito on even more. Letting his hand wander, he started to explore underneath Shinichi´s shirt. He buried his hands one in Kaito´s hair and the other keeping hold of his lover´s neck.

At that moment, the front door opened, the detective wasn´t able to suppress the small flinch. Kaito tightened his embrace.


	2. Forever Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of fluff...

He pulled Shinichi flush against himself, protectiveness flaring. “It´s fine, it´s only Ran.”

With gentle movements, Shinichi more or less freed himself from the tight embrace, standing up as if his emotional outbreak, and the following make out session hadn´t happened at all. He casually lent onto the nearby armchair, while combing his hand through his ruffled hair.

“Shinichi? Are you here?” No enemy was invading, only a childhood friend.

“Yeah, in here.” As soon as Ran came into sight, she burst into an angry tirade, berating him for abandoning her so suddenly. Kaito, seeing that Shinichi was fighting to hold his emotions, stepped in.

“Hey, my name is Kuroba Kaito. I am a childhood friend of his”, winding his arms around Shinichi in a hopefully friend-like manner. He just couldn´t resist touching his lover. “Shinichi wasn´t feeling well, so I helped him back home. Please don´t be mad, he was about to call you and explain the situation”, Kaito placated.

The immediate concern smothered Ran´s anger. “Yeah, I had a stomach-ache, it´s a bit better now. But I really should head to bed.”

“Do you need anything?”

“Oh, no it´s fine. Kaito agreed to stay over, it´s late already. I´ll see you on Monday.”

With a bit more prompting Ran finally left and Kaito was pulling him close again. Shinichi buried his nose in the junction between his lovers neck and head, nuzzling.

“I need to feel you, please…will you let me make love to you?”, Kaito murmured.

A small nod was all the permission he needed. He pulled Shinichi up into a bridal carry and made his way up into the bedroom. The detective let out a content sigh and allowed himself to be carried without much of an argument. Kaito had found about Shinichi´s like to be carried by accident, and he would of course only allow it without witnesses around, never in public, but Kaito would happily take advantage, whenever they were alone.

Kaito had inquired as to why the confident detective allowed it at all? Shinichi had explained, faintly blushing and not meeting the thief´s eyes. He felt safe and cared for in his arms, like nothing would be able to harm him, calming his always alarmed senses. Kaito had puffed up, proud like a peacock. Caveman was the comparison he got from his lover. Kaito preferred alpha-man, though he still couldn´t deny the caveman comment.

He was overly possessive and protective of what he deemed as his. And Shinichi was his, the first on the list, his everything.

“Caveman” noted the carried one today as well.

“You love it”, Kaito was grinning, looking forward to finally ravish his lover again.

It had been some time since they were in a safe enough environment to even think about letting their guard down enough for drawn out sex. They had small make-out sessions, had a few short rough fucks…but what one would call lovemaking, no too vulnerable. Kaito threw his soulmate onto the bed, following right after, not daring to stop touching Shinishi. With a puff of pink smoke all their cloth vanished, the delights of being a magician. 

“Eager, are we?” The grin Kaito shot down on his companion was that of a predator, about to pounce on his prey. A delighted shiver run down Shinichi´s back, pulling Kaito tight against himself, he captured his lips. Opening, their tongues danced.

“Kaito.” The thief growled, hearing his lover moan his name was indescribable arousing.

“Mine”, came the answering groan.

“Yours!“ Possessive hands explored everything they could reach, caressing and stroking.

Shinichi ripped his mouth away, taking in huge gulps of air, panting.

“Kaito…love please be a bit gentler tonight…this body hasn´t…”, the rest of the words went unspoken, as another deep growl emitted from the one above.

“Mine…my Shinichi”, was repeated like a mantra, as Kaito set to marking with hickeys.

Shinichi could only moan and take it, knew his lover would only be satisfied if he was clearly and for all to see marked as his. Possessive caveman! Half an hour later both lay panting on the bed, Kaito half collapsed on top of his lover, not that Shinichi minded in the least. No he adored Kaito´s grounding presence above him, keeping him in the present.

“Let´s take a bath.” As soon as he was sure, his legs would hold them, Kaito yet again pulled Shinichi into his arms. The bathwater was calming, washing away the stress and the stickiness of their orgasms. The detective relaxed into the thief and Kaito´s grip tightened lovingly. After a while Shinichi shuffled around, turning to face his lover.

“I love you” Kaito´s eyes widened, a small blush appearing.

Shinichi didn´t often confess his love, he preferred actions. Kaito was more the one for flowery words, so for him to openly declare.

“I love you as well, my one and only”, cupping his cheek, Shinichi immediatly pushed back into the caress.

The determination to make his point clear, was all over Shinichi´s face: “I want there to be no misunderstandings. I never played any games with you. My feelings are genuine. I never wanted to fall in love, I actively fought against it. But you managed to worm yourself into my heart regardless.”

Kaito was speechless, his heart pounding like crazy, he felt like he owned the whole world, happiness overflowing. He opened and closed his mouth, no words forming. Shinichi who had eyed him carefully, nodded and relaxed again. His point had been made and received.

“Fuck. How the hell can you always tell all my insecurities, before even I notice… I will stay by your side, love you forever, never leave you, even if we have to go through a hundred time loops!” Small tears sprang into Shinichi´s eyes at those honest words.

“I wouldn´t have it any other way.” Kaito pressed small kisses all over his face. They spent the night cuddling impossibly close to one another before they were ripped apart.


	3. Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shinichi sat up more properly, cupping Kaito´s face with both hands.   
> “I can´t live without you!”   
> This time Kaito cried as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta. And here you go! A next chapter!

**POV Shinichi**

He was running.

Out of breath, muscles painfully aching, he forced himself to go on.

Faster! A bit longer! Fuck!

A scream tore through the night.

Then he was staring down at her.

Eyes open, unblinking. Unseeing. A look of pure terror on her face was carved into her bloodied face. Blood. So much blood.

She had been tortured, until they had finally mercifully plunged a knife right through her heart. Ah…

Dead again!

He heard the shot.

A sniper.

He spun around just in time to see the aftermath. A clean headshot.

Ran was dead.

Her father followed only seconds later. The case was never solved. It was put down as an assassination.

Subaru, a fellow detective, a Kid catcher… Too naive, too careless, too unjaded…too quick to judge and condemn people. Killed by the wife of a wrongfully imprisoned. 

Jodie, his contact with the FBI was killed early on. She had managed to supply them with weapons, helped them out a lot. Until one of the raids of a Black Organisation hideout went sideways.

A trap.

Twenty agents were dead. The public would never know what really happened, a gas leak they claimed.

Agasa, Inspector Megure, Yusaku and Yukiko Kudo, Takagi, Morofushi, Shiratori, Amuro, Miyamoto, Akai…names over names over names…

Kaito!

Suddenly he was on the rooftop. Gin before them, more armed men surrounding them. Laughter.

“Everything must come to an end. You never stood a single chance anyway!” A shot.

“KAITO!” No no no no no…

“You are pathetic!”

He screamed!

Hysterically Shinichi fought free of the hands holding him, already almost halfway out of the bed. Tears streaming down his face.

“No, no, no, no, no…” Someone said his name, everything was too quiet, too loud. He couldn’t hear past the ringing in his ears. There was not enough air. He couldn´t breathe…he couldn´t…

“SHINICHI !” Unseeing eyes located the screamer..

“Shinichi ! It was a dream! It was only a nightmare! Shh… Breath with me, in and out…and in, yes good and again…” Slowly he calmed down.

He croaked, absolutely exhausted: “Kaito?”, the fragile hope in that small question was nearly too much to bear for the thief.

“Yes, it´s me. I am here. I am alive.” Shinichi buried his face in Kaito´s nightshirt. For a long moment he could only listen to the beating heart underneath his ear.

“Sorry…”

“No, never apologize for having a nightmare.”

“If we had been on the run…that…” He gently shushed the distressed detective.

“But we aren´t. We are safe in the moment. Safe at your house. The Black Org has no idea who we are. No reason to hunt or kill us. And your subconsciousness knew that.” He bowed to the logic. Picking Shinichi up he moved him on his lap, rubbing his back all the while.

“Can we watch a movie?”

“Sure, I am wide awake anyway”, Kaito grinned slightly, trying and somehow managing to lift the mood.

The movie was halfway over, when he murmured: “You died in my arms…you…I couldn´t…” A single tear rolled over his cheek. Kaito went still. “When Gin killed me minutes after, I was grateful, I was…I welcomed death with open arms.” Shinichi sat up more properly, cupping Kaito´s face with both hands. “I can´t live without you!” This time Kaito cried as well.

They fell asleep on the couch in the early morning. Saturday was easier. They had voiced and cried all their feelings. Nobody would be able to say, they were fine. No way in hell, they way too broken, way too paranoid… But they would be okay. As long as they were together that is. Better never think about what could happened if one were to die without the other able to follow soon after.

Kaito and Shinichi had to do a lot of planning. Had to find answers for questions like: How would they be able to stay together? Same school? Why did they know each other so well? Were they a couple? Who to tell about the time travel / time loop? Who to never tell? Who to be weary of? What was their next step?

“I will transfer so your high school. It will only take a quick phone call to my mom and she will have me enrolled in Ekoda Highschool by Monday”, Shinichi decided.

“Are you okay with leaving Ran behind like that?”

“Yeah, I haven´t been in love with her since halfway through my first life. She is more a younger naive sister to me now. I hope she is not dragged into this mess.” Kaito only cuddled Shinichi closer at that.

While they were having this talk Kaito was simultaneously swapping the keyhole of Kudo manor. Way too many people already had a key, the moment Ran had been able to just walk in yesterday… Of course, they always had their invisible warning signal up and running, no big deal for a magician like Kaito and well Shinichi had learnt a lot. Still they needed their hideout to be secure.

“We could pretend to both have secret”, he made quotes into the air, at the word secret, “feelings for each other the first week. And then one of us could build up the courage to finally confess…” They continued each other thoughts without much problem. “And our familiarity can be explained because we are childhood friends, have never lost contact, write often enough and skype…occasionally visit.”

“And for the more sceptical, we have always just clicked.”

“You are my other half after all”, Kaito flirted shamelessly, making a show of sending him an air-kiss.

Shinichi having used up all his romantic proclamations yesterday only rolled his eyes. Nevertheless, he caught the kiss in the air and put it in his pocket. Kaito whistled happily. He was far from the hyperactive always cheerful boy he had been back then, or had proclaimed himself to be back then. Because even then he had had this darker bloodier side, he had simply buried it deep. Being on the run, having someone to protect only enabled those feelings to come to the surface.

Shinichi called his mother after lunch, while Kaito was busy putting up hidden cameras around the property, never straying from each others line of sight.

“Hey, mom. I need your help with something.”

The call went well, considering his parents had been killed seven years ago in the last loop. Even in this time, he hadn´t seen them for over two years.

He was never close to his parents to begin with, had been abandoned by them in this huge dark manor when he was fourteen. His father the famous writer and his mother the brilliant actress... to put it plainly he never was number one on their priority list. Adding the fact that he had always attracted death, murder and dead bodies like fruit flies…and his social skills had never been that good…well…his childhood had been a bit lonely.

Yukiko Kudo complied with their plans to transfer schools, with only a minimal need of explanation. He just stuttered a bit and stated his want to be in the same class as Kaito. Skimming around the topic, he came up with excuses like that he was also living alone, and they could then live together and…

Well Yukiko had immediately teased him with the prospect of a crush on Kaito. He expertly made his breath hitch and his voice squeak bit, while denying…well she had been hooked. Squealing like a yaoi-fangirl.

Life really had taught him first rate acting. Kaito called his mother as well, she was already in Florida. Explaining that Shinichi would stay over a lot in the future and making sure she knew he had never lost contact with the detective over the year.

Ran had also called to check his health. Dinner was as domestic as it could possibly be, luckily Ran had recently shopped for him so his kitchen was fully stocked. They stood side by side, moving together like a well-oiled machine. Shinichi had found cooking to be quite calming, in his time-loops he had time to find new hobbies, had made sure to learn as many useful skills as possible and cooking had stuck with him. Kaito would never be the best cook, though he was a useful help, being able to slice and dice with his quick handwork, like the magician he was.


	4. What the fuck!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Professor Agasa feels his doom nearing...

Sunday was spent similarly. They had wordlessly decided to not tempt Shinichi ´s corpse finding luck too much beyond changing location later on. Never mind, that they would have to put on masks soon enough. Right now they were only in the company of each other, they didn´t have to hide…

The only thing they really wanted to get done, was meet Professor Agasa. Shinichi ´s neighbour, the first person Shinichi had confided in when he shrunk, the person who had stuck around even when the Black Organisation was killing allies left and right…murdered in the last loop as he had defended Ai. For Shinichi , Agasa was like the father he never really had.

Shinichi was tense when he rang the doorbell, they had heard an explosion coming from the house earlier, so they were certain the professor was home. Kaito pulled his lover closer and placed a small kiss on his cheek. One power up, received. He took a deep breath, the door opened. 

“Hello, professor Agasa.” Agasa´s clothes were slightly burned, his grey hair in disarray. The inventor had obviously blown up another one of his inventions. 

“Shinichi and…”, he eyed the almost a clone of his neighbour strangely. 

“I´m Kuroba Kaito, a childhood friend of Shinichi´s, nice to meet you.” 

“Ah, nice to meet you. Come on in.” 

“We have something important to explain. Let´s sit down”, the detective had held this speech quite a few times in the various loops, especially with Agasa as the addressed. 

They had debated beforehand, how much to tell him. In the end they had decided to be completely honest with him, he would be one of few, if not the only one. 

“I am stuck in a time loop, my lover Kaito recently joined as well. So now we are both back in the past and must try survive again. Each time I die the loop resets.”

Kaito eyed him openly gaping. Damn that was direct! One merciless punch in the… Agasa was even worse…his mouth was hanging open. Then he wholeheartedly laughed: “Funny, quite an interesting joke. Now what do you really want?” 

“I was telling the truth. But no worries, this is not my first loop, and not my first time convincing you of this shit show. A few loops back I gained very secret reliable information.” Agase raised an eyebrow. Kaito was sitting on the edge of the couch, fully enjoying the show. 

He already knew Shinichi had a preference for dark humour and knew his lover sometimes relished in torturing his victims…huh…friends. They were only true victims should they have done something to deserve his lover´s wrath…in those cases, well even praying would not help. May god have mercy with their souls. Conclusion, each and every time Shinichi ran wild was damn entertaining. 

“I am pretty sure you will curse your other self…” Now Agasa was slightly sweating. Something told him his doom was near.

“Your first kiss, do you remember? Sweet Amelia Tanaka. Curly blond hair, the sweetest laugh, loved tanukis… You were all brave, closing your eyes, leaning forward, didn´t even notic…” 

“STOP!”, Agasa was standing up, face red. Then he promptly hid behind the couch. 

“That is the reaction of an adult? Maybe we should be glad we are young again…”, Kaito had to comment. It took Agasa five minutes to be over his embarrassment to listen again. 

“How did you find that out? I never told anyone, and I swore the people involved to silence!” 

“You blurted it our yourself. You were giggling like a schoolgirl, waving the whiskey bottle around like a microphone”, Shinichi deadpanned. 

“Time loop…” 

“If you still don´t believe me. Well, I have more information. How about the time when you were in Rio for the carnival? Or about the panda onsies? Or...” Agasa had thrown himself half over the small coffetable trying to cover Shin´s mouth. Not that Shinichi allowed the professor close enough to touch him so suddenly, no he was still too on edge. 

“Okay, okay…say I believe you. How did the time loop situation even begin?” The professor was pacing, all too used to Agasa´s antics Shinichi calmly explained. He covered the Black Organisation, him being shrunk, their life on the run, the professor´s death and Pandora. 

“And then I was shot. I died. Only to wake up in my bed eleven years earlier.” The professor had sat down during the explanation, utterly speechless.

Finally, he asked: “And you Kaito? How did you end up in this mess?” Kaito grinned like a Cheshire cat. 

“Oh, I am just Kaito Kid. And when I died minutes before Shinichi Pandora was drenched in my blood.” 

“Ka…ka…kaito…KID!” Agasa promptly fainted. 

After the professor woke up again they swore him to secrecy. Underlining how much was truly at stake. How many lives… Then they left him to brood, he needed to sort through the information dumb.

When they returned home Shinichi remarked: “Kaito Kid how are you planning your future? Are you going to continue stealing?” Kaito remained silent. 

“I believe I have no choice but to keep going, the Black Organisation has an eye on me, especially Snake. Considering they killed my father…” 

“Yeah, drive detective Nakamori insane a bit longer.” With these few sentences the lovers had sealed the fate of part of the police force, their sanity would survive…maybe…well shit happens. 

The duo took the bus to Kaito´s house, it was closer to their school, therefore they had determined to stay there for now. A miracle occurred and no one died on the trip there. He hypothesized it was because of a mixture of Kaito´s luck balancing out Shinichi ´s corpse finding and the recent time travel death. Never one to complain about a death-free day the detective approved the theory. 

Shinichi was in the bathroom getting ready for bed, when he noticed one problem. 

“Kaito”, his lover, still not allowing him to go anywhere alone, was naturally close by. 

“Yes?” 

“How do you propose I explain the hickeys? When I am still pining after my childhood friend who I am too shy to ask out?” Kaito scrutinized the markings, his chest puffing up, proud. “Damn alpha male…”, Shinichi muttered, not even needing Kaito to say a word to know exactly what was going on. 

His lover´s brain had shut down the moment he had seen his obvious claiming marks, possessiveness bringing out Kaito´s inner caveman. 

“Now I need to wear make-up tomorrow… What if someone notices?” The thief hugged him from behind, nuzzling his neck. “Urgh and you aren´t even feeling slightly guilty!” 

“I love you.” 

“That is not the appropriate answer for this situation and you know it!”, Shinichi huffed, though he gave Kaito a small peck on the lips nevertheless. 

For them, Monday came way to early. Shinichi was not a morning person. Not at all! Better not speak to him before he had his first coffee! Though if Kaito wanted to stay in bed and cuddle…well that was an exception. 

“Shin, did you tell Ran of your school transfer?” His whole body stilled. 

“Fuck…” The following phone call was…words can not describe a womans temper. 

Afterwards, having slumped on the kitchen table, he murmured: “Kai, I am so glad you are a man.” 


	5. Mask Over Mask

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first school day...how will the others react to Shinichi?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta!   
> Here is the next chapter!

“Well, I am glad I am a man as well.

We need to get ready, Aoko will probably be here any minute. I haven´t explained our new living arrangements either”, he was unconcerned. 

As long as she didn´t try to hit his love with her broom, he would be fine. There was slight pain in his chest when he remembered his childhood friend and her fierce character, banishing her broom like a weapon.

He pulled Shin closer, inhaling his scent. Damn, he didn´t want to face the world. Didn´t want to put on mask over mask. Poker face over poker face. As if he could read his mind, Shin met his eyes, a determined but pained look present. 

“I did it each time I started anew, and I hurt each time. Just don´t think too deeply about the people around you. And always remember you are not alone in this; I will be here to see through each and every one of your masks.” Kaito dropped his head on his shoulder. 

“Shit, shouldn´t I be the one comforting you? You were alone way longer…” The doorbell rang, only for the door lock to click open moments later. Ah, this would be the next lock exchanged. 

“KAITO!” His small flinch was barely noticeable. Deep breath, one two three! 

“Aoko, good morning!” Putting a hundred-watt smile on his face he dragged Shin with him to the door. 

“This is Kudo Shinichi, a childhood friend of mine. He transferred to our school today and will be living with me from now on!”, he rambled on. 

“What?” Aoko could only gape. 

“Good morning, nice to meet you. I have heard a lot about you.” Shinichi was only able to bow for a second, before Kaito had dragged him past the stunned girl. 

“Close the door will you. We are already late!” 

All the way to school the detective and thief were tortured with endless questions. 

“My mom decided I shouldn´t live alone any longer and when she met Kaito´s mom again…well they got drunk and began plotting.” 

“Yeah, we are just glad they decided an arranged marriage would be a bit much…” At this Aoko stumbled. 

Shinichi gave his best to blush lightly. Kaito played his part as the smitten friend well, stealing glances.

They arrived at the school secretariat, only for Kaito to notice aghast…he had to let his lover out of his eyesight…Kaito´s chest constricted, he clenched his jaw. For a second the wish to steal his lover away and hide on a deserted island forever was overpowering, only for Shin use their own sign language, developed out of need on the run, to assure him. So he built his mask anew and grinned. 

“See you in the classroom.” He obediently followed Aoko throwing around smoke bombs and changing hair colours just to hide his shaking hands. 

They expected him to be the loud hyperactive magician, so he would play his role. Though he kept the lonely island plan in the back of his mind. The minutes without his other half were excruciating, add the fact that he had no gun on his body, and he was constantly checking for threats.

Then the school idol, the one girl every guy was in love with, approached him, the witch, Koizumi Akako. 

“Kuroba, well well… It must be hard being only half of a whole."

Even Shinichi, who didn´t believe in magic had to face to truth. Akako was a true red witch and her words often meant more than they seemed. This time though, they were plainly obvious. Don´t lose your cool! Letting a pink rose appear out of nowhere, he leaned forward: 

“You only need to ask, there is no need for cryptic riddles. I will give you your much-desired rose.” 

“Let´s talk later”, Kaito conceded, it could be beneficial to listen to her advice. 

Even though she practiced red magic and was slightly evil, well more like misguided, she had often helped him in the past with small or sometimes even big gestures.

The class quieted as soon as the teacher arrived, Shinichi right next to her. Kaito felt his body lose some of its tension, the weight on his lungs lifting slightly. His other half was present again, if only he could touch him… Argh, he needed to hurry up and confess to his childhood crush! 

“Good morning. My name is Kudo Shinichi, I am transferring from Teitan High School. Please treat me well.” 

With a puff of smoke Kaito relocated one of his classmates to open up a free seat for Shinichi. If the seat was right in front of him, well…he always needed to have his other half in sight. The teacher observed him warily, already accustomed to his magic tricks interrupting the class.

The lesson was boring, Kaito past the time staring at Shinichi. One of his favourite past times, if only he could see Shinichi´s face…his back wasn´t as interesting. As soon as the bell rang he was out of his seat, leaning close to Shin. Only the lovers noticed the desperate grip on Shin´sarm. The detective relaxed slightly, just as desperate for their reassuring touch. Simultaneously Kaito used their secret tap code to explain Akako´s announcement. 

Hakuba Saguru, a classmate, who was a detective and speculating on Kaito Kid being Kuroba Kaito, made his way over. 

“Kudo Shinichi, it is intriguing meeting a fellow high school detective.” Kaito had to swallow hard, a flashback of reading the article about Hakuba´s death came to his mind. 

The detective had been too self-assured, not careful enough. In the end Hakuba had been killed by the wife of a man he falsely imprisoned. The knife wound had killed him within minutes.

Shin gave his hand a squeeze underneath the table bringing him back to the present. The thief was really glad a grin was his default expression. “Yes, indeed. It´s nice to have someone to converse with.” 

“He, you can always talk with me. Now I feel hurt!”, Kaito made a big show of hold his aching heart. “Aoko! Aoko, Shin is mean to me!” 

Aoko was still very confused by Shinichi´s sudden appearance and only shrugged her shoulders. 

“You know each other?” 

“Yes, we are childhood friends. We have kept in contact since we were little. Our parents were good friends”, Kaito explained merrily. 

“Yeah, the idiot had to get on my nerves all the time with his mails and calls.” 

“Argh, blow after blow… I am dying!” 

“Kaito!”, Aoko admonished. 

“Shin, you have to be honest! You love my texts and calls.” Shinichi blushed and turned his head away. 

“Urgh, okay. Maybe you weren´t too much of a nuisance.” Kaito grinned brightly, enjoying putting on a show, as long as he suppressed all the painful memories. 

“Why did you transfer?”, Hakuba´s questions sounded more like an interrogation. 

The thief narrowed his inner eyes at him, he didn´t like Hakuba. He was too stiff, too stuck in the rules and customs, his world was black and white. Hakuba wasn´t a person he would be able to trust, never mind that he judged way too fast without knowing all the angles, adding that he really got on the thief´s nerves with all the Kaito Kid accusations. Wasn´t he a detective? Find evidence or keep the fuck quiet!

Shin let out a long-suffering sign. "My mother…don´t ask me what she is thinking.” 

The bell rang for the next lesson. The day crept by slowly, it was torture to sit there so fucking vulnerable. Each second Kaito got more and more paranoid. Consciously he knew he was safe, the Black Org didn´t have them on their hit list… yet. He didn´t have to be able to protect them and shoot at any moment. But still, it was not easy to just cast-off habits cumulated over four years, over nine years if he counted the time when Shin and Kai weren´t the only ones on the run. 


	6. The Soulbond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> School, some corpse finding and finally just the two of them alone together...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta Wintersnow10.   
> I hope you like the new chapter.

The moment the next break started, Akako motioned for them to follow. Before either Aoko or Habuka could accost them again, the lovers slipped out of the classroom. Akako lend them to the rooftop, the normally closed door opened without problems. They moved to the farthest edge, and Shinichi additionally pulled a white noise generator from his pocket, they couldn´t afford for anyone to overhear their conversation. Akako only raised an eyebrow. 

“You told me I was only one half of a whole. What did you mean?” Kaito was all business, his normal smile absent, his eyes serious and cold. 

Shinichi only reinforced the feeling of being cornered by a predator, by scrutinizing and analysing her every move. 

“I…”, she hesitated, this was…what had changed Kuroba like this? 

For a second she could see him pulling out a gun and… She cleared her voice, knowing instinctively this was not a time to play around. 

“I can feel a bond between you, even more now that you are standing right next to each other. It´s incredibly strong, I can only… You have to be soulmates, and your soulmate bond must have been activated somehow. However, I can´t fathom how you were able to succeed in such a feat, never mind that your bond is beyond rare. The last recorded soulmates died over four hundred years ago.” 

She was fascinated, every witch would be, this bond was magnificent. Shinichi and Kaito exchanged a series of quick hand movements and looks, communicating easily. 

“What does this bond entail?” 

“Well, I can´t be sure as each bond is different and not much is known about soulbonds. But you will develop certain abilities connecting you. I heard about feeling each other’s emotion, knowing where your partner is at all times, experiencing the soulmates pain and being able share the pain, mental communication is possible as well. You will have to find out by yourself. I could be persuaded to loan you my book about soulmates…”, she trailed of. 

The pair was well accustomed to taking information in and dealing with it later, therefore they didn´t take any time to dwell on the info dumb. 

“And how would we be able to persuade you?” She pondered for a moment. 

Her instincts had always been strong, and she got the strong feeling those two would shake up the world and she desperately wouldn´t want them as enemies. 

“Tell me, how did your bond form?” The silence was deafening. 

They communicated once more, finally Shinichi punched all the air out of her lungs with three simple words: “We died together.” 

“Please bring the book with you tomorrow, the sooner we get the information the better.” They left, letting her stew on their deaths. 

Finally, they were on the way home, school had ended. Aoko was tagging along talking and asking questions.

The two were already burned out, they had enough of the outside world. They longed for the door to close behind them, for them to be alone again. Maybe he really should kidnap Shinichi and live with his soulmate…what a strange word…on a deserted island.

Soulmate…soulmate… Kaito repeated the word over and over in his head, it felt right, it felt like their connection their relationship had finally been put into the right category, had been finally bestowed with a fitting name, expressing the gravity of their love.

Of course, now Shinichi ´s corpse finding powers had to activate again.

A loud scream tore through the air.

Shin was already moving, he not far behind, giving Aoko only a fleeting thought. A passer-by had found a corpse stuffed into a rubbish back, neatly stowed with all the other trash. Shinichi calmed the witnesses with a confident efficiency, not long after the police was on their way and Shinichi was checking out the crime scene, while Kaito made sure no one left prematurely. 

“Kudo, we meet too often on crime scenes”, inspector Megure proclaimed, when he spotted the high school detective. 

“I agree, inspector.” Kaito was astonished to not hear any wavering in his lover’s voice when he addressed the other man, the inspector had after all been a close acquaintance. How often had Shinichi seen the man die? He moved closer to Shin. 

“This is Kuroba Kaito, a childhood friend of mine. Kaito, this is Megure, a competent inspector.” 

Megure had to do a double take, first at the young man who could very well be a clone of Kudo and then at the praising words of the normally arrogant high school detective. 

“Nice to meet you inspector.” Megure watched startled as Kudo turned away from them and continued investigating, radiating his normal arrogant energy once more.

“The chances of the press leaving him alone are higher, if he comes off as rather self-centred and arrogant”, Kaito answered the unasked question quietly, aware of the people around them. 

He wanted the homicide department to understand his Shin, wanted them to be able to see behind the arrogant façade. And as they had obviously been fooled until now, he would correct their misconceptions starting this instant, before they could hurt his love.

Megure´s eyes widened again. Had his thoughts been that obvious? The inspector made it his goal to find out, if the young man helping them all the time, the young man who had been given the title “savior of the police force” had indeed been misjudged.

The case was closed quickly, Shinichi fully in his element. Aoko had been at the scene for a few minutes as well, before Kaito had managed to persuade her to return home without them. 

“You two will have to come to the police station to give your statement.” At least they got to finish their statement first, as a small thanks for solving the crime. When they were about to finally head home, Shinichi ´s name was called: 

“Shinichi , what are you doing here? Witness recording?”

Shin took a deep breath, his mask was grumbling, he needed to recharge, the first week after his death was always hard. 

“Yes. Good evening, officer Takagi, officer Sato.” 

“You really can´t catch a break, can you?”, the woman answered. 

“This is a childhood friend of mine, Kuroba Kaito.” 

“Nice to meet you.” 

“You could be twins…” 

"Yes, indeed.” 

“I am sorry to interrupt so soon, but we are both quite tired, it was a long day. Would it be alright for us to leave, I am sure we can talk the next time Shinichi witnesses a murder, it won´t take too long I’m sure”, Kaito interrupted, the irritation he was feeling hidden expertly. 

He liked Sato, and Takagi wasn´t bad either, judging from the stories he had heard, but right now he wanted them to leave Shin the fuck alone. Perplexed, they eyed the high school detective a bit closer, noticing the slightly slumped shoulders and weary eyes. Shin let them see, he wanted to go home. 

“Yes, of course… I mean, please don´t let us hold you up.” 

Completely exhausted they collapsed on Kaito´s living room couch. Finally, alone, they had much to talk about, but for the moment they were content to just lie in each other’s arms. 

“Soulmates, huh.” 

“Yeah”, awe was clear to hear in Shin´s voice. 

“Now it´s official, you won´t be able to get rid of me.” He chuckled and nuzzled closer to his thief. 

“I think the feeling each other´s emotion part isn´t too far off…” 

“Yeah, for the last few days my emotions have been all over the place, but I believe I can see past your mask even better now.” 

“We won´t try the location knowing trick for some time, I won´t allow you out of my sight for anything”, Kaito almost growled possessive. 

“Your inner caveman is coming out again.” 

“Being able to talk mentally would be really convenient…imagine being able to talk during school time”, Shin poked him in the belly. 

“Yes, of course the first thing you would think of is to alleviate your boredom.” Kaito reciprocated with placing a kiss on his soulmates mouth. 

“I love how we will be even closer”, he murmured. Shin caressed his cheek, moving his mouth against Kaito´s. It took them a while to come back on topic. 

“Let´s wait for Akako´s book and even then, we will just have to see where this soulmate-business will lead us. We were never normal after all. I wouldn’t even be surprised if our soul bond is unique as well.” 

“Is a soul bond not ancient and unique enough for you?” 

Hours later a choked off scream tore through the house. Kaito shuddered, drenched in sweat, he kept his eyes wide open. Desperately trying to keep the images from reappearing. Shin so tuned to his lover was immediately awake as well, pressing himself even closer he made soothing noises, mumbling reassurances:

“I am here. We are both alive. I love you…” 

Kaito was different after a nightmare, while Shinichi needed hugs and caring caresses and kisses, Kaito carved something more physical. Needed to feel Shinichi alive and well underneath him, moaning and whimpering for him, needed to feel his heart beat and bury himself deep inside his lover. This time was no different. 

“Shin, Shin…”, one possessive hand grabbed his hip and one his butt. 

“I need, Shin, please let me…”, Kaito was frustrated, couldn´t seem to form the words he wanted. 

“Of course, I am yours.” The thief bounced like a predator. 

Shinichi was on his back with Kaito hovering above him before he could blink. He smiled gently, cupping Kaito´s cheek, giving his approval.

The following kiss was full of angry energy, full of fear, loss. Pain. Kaito seemed to poor all his spiralling emotions into their kiss. Shinichi moaned, breaking away to take in a gulp of air. Kaito growled, attacking Shinichi ´s neck and shoulders instead. Biting and sucking. All the while his hands wandered, pinching Shinichi ´s nipples, smoothing over his belly and sides. He grinded down, rubbing their members together. Shinichi gave as good as he got, letting his hands wander as well, though most of the time he could only try to hold on for the ride. 

“Kaito! Kaito, I…” With a sudden movement Kaito had removed his lover´s shorts, the lube bottle already in his hand. 

He made quick work of opening Shinichi up, there was no time to be overly gently, he needed to be buried deep inside his love right this fucking minute.

Finally, when he was finally sheathed, he groaned deeply, shuddering from the hurricane of emotions. They both came after a few trusts.

His arms were quivering as he held himself up, their eyes met… The tears fell. He let them, he let them fall at last. Shinichi had known Kaito would break sooner or later, had waited for this moment. He winced slightly when Kaito´s member slipped free of him, only to lean up and pull his love down, hugging him, stroking his back. 

“Shhh, let it go. We died, you don´t need to be fine. You don´t need to be strong for me. We can always lean on each other…” 

After a while Shinichi went to the bathroom to clean up, Kaito following him like a lost puppy, nothing left of the possessive alpha predator from earlier. Kaito of course immediately noticed the tiny limp in Shin´s movements. 

“Shit did I hurt you? I was too rough…I…fuck I am sorry”, he began babbling, Shin was pressing him close in an instant. 

“I am fine! You did nothing I didn´t allow you to do. I know how you feel after those nightmares, I know. So don´t apologize.” Kaito nodded, head buried in the detective’s throat.

The rest of the night, well the next few hours, were spent catching up on sleep. 


	7. A Hostage Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One heck of a Tuesday morning...
> 
> “Hands in the air! This is a hostage situation!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go.  
> This chapter is longer, because I didn´t manage to update earlier...sooo...please enjoy.

Their classes started late on Tuesday mornings, therefore they had planned to visit professor Agase again. Answer questions and the like…

So early in the day Shinichi was still out of order, quietly sipping his coffee, Kaito was the one in charge with checking the surroundings. Shin knew he was safe with his lover on the watch.

After the bus ride, the detective´s brain was almost up and running again. He yawned. If one asked Kaito, his dearest one was absolutely adorable, especially if sleepy. They rang the doorbell, hopefully Agasa was already up.

“Shinichi? Kaito?”

“Good morning, prof. We thought it prudent to answer some of your certainly numerous questions.”

“Yes, please”, his tone was almost winey, like a four-year-old.

After Agase had supplied Shinichi with another coffee, Kaito with juice, he started expectantly staring.

“Well, what do you want clarified?”

“What exactly is the Black Organisation? Are they already targeting you? Are you in danger? Should we contact the police? How did I die? Did I die heroically? Were we…”, the bombardment of questions continued on.

Kaito was marvelling at his soulmates patience. A lot of answers later, Kaito interrupted their interrogation:

“That´s enough for now, you shouldn´t know too much anyway. Knowledge is dangerous, especially about our enemies. But one warning, be sure to check for the identity of a person properly before you confide anything of consequence. There are people in the Black Organisation, who are able to disguise themselves, impersonate others with a frightening efficiency.” He nodded sagely.

“There is something else we came for. We need your help. In all my last time loops you supplied me with very useful and often lifesaving gadgets”, Shinichi went on the describe his football belt, the powerful boots, the tracking glasses, the tiny tracker, small bombs, communication devices and so on.

Half an hour later they were waiting for the bus to take them back to Ekoda High school. The bus ride started normal, …

**POV Shinichi**

He watched the street pass by dispassionately, thoughts miles away, only Kaito´s solid body anchoring him to the present.

A bad feeling made him wary.

It had been too long without a corpse, something big would certainly happen to balance the scale.

A little girl, about five years, entered the bus moving to the seat directly next to him opposite the aisle. In this life he would never be close to the detective boys, Ayumi, Genta and Mitsuhiko would grow up without the danger he constantly attracted.

Befuddled he wrinkled his forehead when he noticed the bus taking the wrong route at a crossroad.

“Kaito, was there a change in the bus route?” Before Kaito was able to even comment, someone yelled:

“Hands in the air! This is a hostage situation!”

Wow, what kind of cliché movies did they watch?

At this point Shinichi didn´t even tense anymore, just signed exasperated. He had lived through too much bullshit to be afraid of a simple kidnapping. Though this particular kidnapping was new, he had never been part of it in any of his former time loops.

The obvious kidnapper, held up his gun with an almost deranged look. Those trigger-happy foes were dangerous. Too unpredictable.

“Fucking hold up your hands or I start shooting!”

Immediately everyone complied.

Frightened pale faces, some still disbelieving.

The girl next to him whimpered, pressing herself to the window.

A different man, also holding a gun joined the first in the front. “I will take your phones! Do as we say and nobody will get hurt”, kidnapper number two, was a lot friendlier. He was wearing a necklace with a silver cross, short hair, casual clothing. He nicknamed him Cross.

The other deranged fellow, was the stereotype of a bad guy. Dressing in all black, tattoos, long hair tied in a ponytail… From the type of clothing he could very well be a part of the Black Organisation, but the feeling was wrong. He didn´t have the same cold suffocating aura.

Cross moved through the rows of people, collected their communication devices. When he neared the little girl, she tried the shrink back even further, crying out in distress.

“Shut her the fuck up!” Cross was keeping his distance unsure.

“I will calm her”, Shinichi intervened, moving next to her, embracing her. She clutched his t-shirt, burying her face in his side. In the back of his mind he suddenly felt emotions not his own, fierce protectiveness flaring up.

“Do you have a phone?” She fumbled shaking and pulled one out of her jacket, handing it over. Shinichi added his as well.

Cross seemed guilty almost apologetic, but moved on.

Shinichi´s eyes scanned the bus, taking in all the faces. The bus driver didn´t have to be threatened to change to route, at least he didn´t notice anything of the like. Probably part of the kidnappers, he concluded. There was likely one more kidnapper, posing as a victim…at least that was his experience.

The kidnapper had a big bag in front of his seat. More guns? A change of clothing? Money and essentials for the escape? A bomb? He needed to keep an eye on it.

Kaito had tensed when he moved away from him, taking his seat at the aisle straight-away. They both still hated having no body contact.

He gently shushed the girl in his arms, rubbing her back soothingly. Cross was done collecting and was returning to the front.

“Why are you doing this?! Aren´t one or two hostages enough?”, the woman was slightly hysterical, not caring if she threw one of the others literally under the bus, if she could escape. Kidnapper one, now called Stereotype, laughed loudly.

“Oh, that´s one mindset I can get behind.” The woman hastened to stand up, relief clear in her posture:

“Then let me…” He interrupted her midsentence:

“Fuck no! You will stay right where you are and will be the first person I kill should you I have to.” She slumped back in her seat, dread edged in her features.

Everyone was deathly quiet, the only sounds came from outside.

Stereotype was lazily playing with his gun, Cross had sat down again, observing the hostages. Twenty tense minutes later, the bus entered an old parking lot outside an abandoned factory. Talk about clichés. The bus parked. Cross stood up.

“I will call the police now to make a deal. We want our boss to get a fair trial with a complete investigation and in return you all will be released.” That was actually not that bad of a goal.

“Yeah…that was the plan”, drawled Stereotype. “Sorry, but plans change.” He pulled the trigger.

The bullet pierced his stomach, Cross collapsed in his seat bleeding. “Wha…“

“You know, I am not so fond of going to jail, when you threatened to call the cops on me or help with this coupe... You had to die! If you had just let the boss rot in jail and followed my command… But you were always too much of a coward!”

He spun around to the bus driver: “Oh, no David, don´t even think about it. I am still favouring your survival, but one wrong thought and I will take you out as well!”

Someone stifled their cries, Shinichi pushed the girls head firmly into his side, blocking her view.

What an interesting plot twist. Again, he felt Kaito´s emotions in the background, burning anger but most of all a strong will for them to live and a resolution do anything to survive.

Shinichi made eye contact with his soulmate, exchanging a few hand signs.

From the back of the bus a woman stood up, swaggering towards the front. Within seconds he had her analysed, she was the missing kidnapper. He knew, he just knew they would plant a spy with the victims.

Shinichi detached the girl from his shirt, ready to move every moment.

There!

Had he not known Kaito so well, he wouldn´t have seen him even move…

The next second a smoke bomb went off, shrouding everything in thick fog.

Shinichi lunged forward.

Kaito would take care of the woman. He had memorized the steps he needed to take. Shinichi didn´t hesitate. As soon as he had the man in his grasp he threw a punch. Strike immediately and hard! A lesson well learnt.

“Argh!”

A shriek from the woman. Agitated cries from the civilians. The smoke cleared. Stereotype blinked only to stare right into the barrel of his gun. Holding his aching gut, he was slumped over.

“Don´t even think of moving, David”, Shinichi commanded, keeping watch over the bus driver as well.

“What the fuck!”, came the commentary from the audience. Shinichi didn´t dare let his eyes wander, never let your enemies out of your field of vision!

“Kai?”

“Roger!”

“Someone take the phones and call the police!“ A scurry of activity followed. They opened the bus door and let everyone out but the kidnappers.

The shot man was patched up as best as possible till the ambulance arrived.

Kaito pulled his soulmate in for a short hug, whispering: “I love you.”

“And I you.” They could feel the love pulsing between them in their soulmate bond. It felt as bright as the sun, never-ending and never to burn out or weaken.

The little girl never let Shinichi move far from her vicinity. Bravely holding back tears. Kaito noticed.

“Take care of her and the other children“, with children he meant the three kidnapped college students,

"I will keep these naughty ones in line”, he winked. The detective smiled slightly, moved out of the bus and crouched down to her level.

“Hey, my name is Shinichi. It´s nice to meet you, will you tell me your name as well?” She nodded timidly moving impossibly closer, but not yet touching.

“I´m Ella.”

“Ella, that´s a wonderful name.” Reading her body language, he invitingly opened his arms. Ella clutched onto his shirt right away.

“How old are you Ella?” He was soothingly rubbing her back in little circles.

“I am already four”, she mumbled.

“Already! Wow!” Shinichi scooped her up, moving closer to the civilians, away from the bus.

“You were so very brave today. I am so proud of you, Ella.” He sat down, leaning on an old parking automat, he put her securely in his lap.

“Shinichi”, her voice was wobbly and unsure.

“Yes? Ask me anything.“

“Were you afraid?“

“I am always afraid that the people I love will get hurt. But it´s only natural to be afraid, fear is only human, as long as you don´t let your fears control you. As long as you have courage everything will be alright.”

She listened intensely. “Can I tell you a secret?” Ella nodded vigorously.

He murmured in her ear: “The bad guys are defeated. You were so very brave, it is okay to cry now.”

As if she had only waited for permission, heavy sobs shook her. Fat tears trailing down her face. The detective made soothing noises, pressing her close. If only he could hide in someone else’s lap as well…

A few minutes later he proposed grinning: “How about I tell you a story?”

She nodded sniffling, her tiny hand rubbing away tears.

Shinichi positioned himself a bit differently and began, all the while making figures with the shadow of his hands bringing the tale to life.

“Once upon a time there was a young girl called Mulan. Do you know her?” Ella shook her head already fascinated.

So Shinichi began the tale of the brave strong woman fighting for her family, during his story the other “kids” well the college students had wandered over to their side watching not much less captivated.

The ambulance came and went. Then the police arrived.

**POV Kaito**

Kaito observed form a distance as his soulmate consoled the small girl, his heart bursting from love at the domestic scene.

It was so seldom that he was able to observe his lover openly show his caring side. Shinichi had always been great with children, otherwise he wouldn´t have been able to form such a strong connection with the Detective Boys.

Kaito could take care of children as well, but Shinichi, Shinichi made them be at ease made them feel secure and dare he say loved.

Suddenly a longing for their own children overcame him, he forcibly pushed the thought down resolutely facing the criminals again.

As soon as the police arrived he was relived from his guard duty. Inspector Megure was the one who greeted him at the bus door.

“I imagine we see each other more other now?”, he asked wryly.

“Of course, where Shinichi goes I will not be far behind”, Kaito winked mischievously.

After a heartfelt sign, the inspector started to interrogate him on the kidnapping. The immediate questions were answered fast and easily, they both turned around.

Megure spotting the highschool detective with a surprised frown.

“Shinichi is brilliant with children, he has the uncanny ability to earn their trust. Justified, I might add.” Megure didn´t reply as they wandered closer, hearing the ending of a tale about strength of mind, body and character.

“You reminded me of Mulan today”, Shinichi whispered to Ella.

“Really?!”

“Yes.” When Shinichi looked up, only Kaito was able to notice the short flash of unease at the inspector’s presence.

“Inspector Megure, good day.”

“It certainly was before your call came in.” Shinichi only shrugged, placing Ella on her feet to be able to stand up and face Megure properly.

She was very reluctant to let him go. In the end he just moved her to his hip to carry comfortably. Ella grinned relieved, snuggling into the crook of his neck.

It took another hour for everyone to have given their contact information and transport to be arranged for those who weren´t able to call someone to come get them.

Ella´s mom arrived in a flurry, worry written all over her face.

“Mom!”, she cried, as the detective tried to shift her over to her mother, she firmly held onto him. It ended with an awkward two-way hug, squishing Ella between her hero and her mother.

“I am so very thankful”, Ella's mom was more than grateful.

Meanwhile Ella only allowed her mother to drive her home after she had wrangled a promise of Shinichi to meet soon and his phone number. Kaito pulled his lover close, impatient to be out of the public’s eye to properly embrace him.

Luckily it was too late to head to school now, the lessons almost over. So they were able to seek sanctuary at Kaito´s home.

“Kaito, were you also able to feel my emotions?”

“Yeah, our soulmate bond is growing.”


	8. Together in Life and in Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A meeting with Ran...and...
> 
> “Together in life and in death”, he murmured.  
> “Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta!

After a while the detective made himself move and fished his phone from his pocket.

Oh, shit.

Six missed calls, seven messages and two e-mails. Some of them were from his parents, one from his soccer buddies, but most were from Ran. Signing he called her back, better get it over sooner rather than later.

She took the call after the second ring:

“Shinichi! Why do you not pick up your phone, I am trying to reach you since yesterday evening! You have to explain…this is all so confusing…”

He simply sat there and let her rant not even trying to get a word edgewise.

“I was exhausted yesterday, on the way home I solved a murder case and today I didn´t even make it to school, because I was a part of a bus kidnapping. I just arrived home.”

“Oh…that´s…”

Before she could start again, he interrupted:

“Would you like to meet tomorrow? I can explain some more face to face.”

He was not looking forward to that interrogation and would rather spent his time alone with Kaito, however some sacrifices needed to be made to let peace reign.

All the while Kaito, the best soulmate ever, was massaging his shoulders.

After a few more minutes Ran had finally decided on a small café in manageable distance from both their schools.

“See you tomorrow.”

“Bye.”

Shinichi collapsed back into Kaito, seeking his reassuring presence.

He had to remind himself not to think about Ran´s last death… Nope, don´t go there!

The next day was mostly uneventful.

Never forgetting to play the pining love-struck childhood friends, they were the object of obsession with quite a few giggling girls.

Additionally, found out a big sports festival would be held next week and it was even decided that Ekoda Highschool and Teitan Highschool would collaborate.

Shinichi remembered this happening in all his lives, though he played a different role in the event each time. Planned was something similar to a student exchange program. Some students from Ekoda were to be swapped with some from Teitan, it was supposed to build friendships, trust and be a learning experience for students to adjust to a new environment with new people to work as partners with.

Similarly, each team participating in the sports festival would be a mix Ekoda and Teitan students.

Who would have thought only a week after he transferred, he was about to work with his old classmates again?

Kaito simply stared at his soulmate, hopefully Shinichi´s corpse finding luck would not activate with so many people around.

Akako also handed them her soulmate book, Kaito could not wait to have a look. The detective was equally excited to discover more, but before he was able to sit down and do that he would have to survive the meeting with Ran.

Kaito had obviously decided to accompany Shinichi. When they arrived, Ran was already sitting on a small round table outside the café.

The weather was nice so the pair had no problem with the fresh air.

Ran stood up to greet her childhood friend when she spotted Kaito she grimaced for a second.

Oh, she clearly had wanted to have a talk with only four eyes present. Sucks for her, Kaito would not leave, no way in hell.

“Hey Shinichi, how are you? Is the stomach ache gone?”

“Yeah, I am all better.” Shinichi nodded.

“Kaito, nice to see you again.”

“Likewise.”

For a moment they just sat and Ran stared. Shinichi, way to used to this kind of talk, didn´t let himself be pressured into starting.

“Shinichi, can you please explain to me again, this time in a bit more detail…why you suddenly changed schools overnight and…”, she interrupted herself as a server arrived to take their order.

“It was a mix of things really. I just wasn´t happy all alone in the huge mansion and Kaito had offered me often enough to move in with him, additionally…”

While Shinichi was talking Kaito subtly, or well playing the pining friend, moved closer, edging his hand nearer and nearer to where Shinichi´s was resting on the table.

Ran had of course noticed his attempt and was eying him almost calculating.

When Kaito´s hand was almost at its goal, she intervened and took the detectives hand in hers.

Which led to a stink eye from the thief and a satisfied smirk from Ran.

Shinichi had to hold himself together as not to laugh at the ridiculous situation.

If only Ran knew who she was trying to steal him from. Oh, pity the soul who would truly try to take him. Kaito, the possessive alpha, would rain hellfire.

Later they had finally, luckily without disclosing their current living place, managed to escape. Sadly, Ran was part of the school exchange sports festival as well, it was too easy for her to find out Kaito´s address then. But for now, their home was safe from unwanted invaders. Well, as long as Aoko left them alone.

They actually made it home without a case, grinning Kaito skipped to the couch, lying on it he patted the space between his legs. The detective immediately followed.

Akako´s book wasn´t able to help them much, a lot of it was about finding your soulmate and then activating the bond. And the part about the bonds power basically stated what Akako already told them. It depended on each individual soulmate pair, which powers appeared and activated.

Interesting and for them most reassuring was another part. Should one soulmate die, the stronger the bond the faster the other soulmate follows in death.

One soulmate especially, one who is already bonded, can not survive long without the other.

Sometimes long enough to exert revenge should the partner have been murdered, but often only moments separate their time of death.

As Shinichi read this a knot in him loosened, reading about the clear evidence that he would not have to brave this world without his lover…was so very reassuring. Deep relief spread through Kaito as well.

“Together in life and in death”, he murmured.

“Always.”


	9. Officially Dating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaito tells Ran off and they finally are officially dating!

The rest of the week went by quickly, a few murder cases here and there, a suicide as well and it was already Sunday evening.

Tomorrow they would head to Ekoda as usual, they luckily weren´t chosen as part of the group to change schools. Ran had contacted him several times, trying to meet up on the weekend.

In the end Kaito had lost his patience and had told her off.

**Flashback to phone call on Friday evening:**

“Shinichi, come on, please I haven´t seen you all week…”

“Ran, we met on Wednesday, that was two days ago and will be meeting all next week because of the festival.”

Maybe he should just have ignored her call as he had the other three calls beforehand.

Next to him Kaito´s eye was twitching, a clear sign he was at his last nerve as well. Why couldn´t that noisy girl leave his lover alone?

Kaito held his hand out for Shinichi to hand the phone over. Without much further prompting Shin did so.

“Ran, excuse me here is Kaito. I am sorry to interrupt you call, but Shinichi already has plans for the weekend with me.

We are going on a date!

I asked him out earlier today and now we are dating and this weekend will be filled with dates! Therefore, I would really appreciate it, if you could leave my boyfriend in peace for now.”

He delivered this with a simultaneous happy and threatening tone of voice, emphasizing the words date, dating and boyfriend in each of the sentences.

Ran could only splutter, the point of her bugging Shinichi was to hinder Kaito´s advances and now…well…he had one-upped her.

Shinichi was grinning, leaning closer to his soulmate and planting a kiss on his cheek.

Before Ran was able to get her shit back together, Kaito ended the call, letting out a satisfied sign.

“Possessive caveman”, Shin whispered in his ear, biting his earlobe seductively.

Kaito groaned, pulling his lover on his lap, hands already found their way to his enticing butt.

“I will show you who you belong to”, he growled and with one swift movement stood up heading for their bedroom. Shinichi chuckled, nuzzling his neck and sucking softly.

“Always you, my knight in white shining armour.”

“Damn straight!” Kaito squeezed his butt cheeks tighter for a second.

Monday morning arrived too early…

When Kaito playfully poked him the detective only managed an irritated grumble and buried deeper into the blanket.

“Come on up, my love. I have coffee”, Kaito held the cup of deliciousness a few centimetres out of Shin´s reach. Blearily he sat up and made grabby motions with his hands.

Kaito was not strong enough to resist the adorable kicked puppy look his soulmate embodied.

“Here you go”, signing Shin to take the cup, after taking a sip he let Kaito manoeuvre him out of their bed.

Kaito was excited.

Today he was finally officially Shinichi´s boyfriend, meaning he was able to cling to him, cuddle and be possessive all he wanted. It was heaven.

Shinichi knew his love too well, as to not know the source of his good mood. He only smiled indulgently.

Though honestly, Shinichi was relieved, now all the pests would hopefully get the message and stay away. Aoko met them outside the house. She was eying Kaito´s new extra clingy behaviour. Kaito didn´t wait long to enlighten her.

Truthfully he had been a bit worried at first how his childhood friend, who had a big crush on him would react…but well his heart wanted what his heart wanted.

Shinichi would always come first!

“Aoko! May I present to you my boyfriend Shinichi!”, he had the biggest smile on his face.

It was new for both of the time travellers to be able to openly declare their relationship in public, especially without fake names and without fearing the information would be used against them.

Aoko stood stock still for a moment, mouth hanging open, fingers twitching and balling to fists. Kaito moved protectively in front of Shin just as a precaution, he was well aware how hormonal girls were. In the end she firmly closed her mouth and forced a small smile on her face.

“I am happy for you. Did you finally have the guts to confess?” The two men exchanged meaningful glances, both unanimously deciding to play along.

“Yes, I was out of options.” She raised her eyebrow. “Someone was trying to steal my Shinichi! I couldn’t let it happen, not on my watch”, he declared passionately.

Shinichi rolled his eyes, but happily held the thief´s hand, while walking. “No one was about to steal me away.”

“Oh, she totally was furiously making kidnapping plans!”

Good naturally Shin pressed a quick kiss to Kaito´s cheek, but seeing the slightly pained look in Aoko´s eyes he swiftly changed to topic to the sports festival.

They arrived at the school gates not long after. Already quite a few unfamiliar faces were milling around, well unfamiliar for Kaito that is.

“Kudo”, squealed quite a few fan girls and boys, as they saw them.

Ah, he really did not miss the fanatic fans.

There were clear reasons, why he tried to be more of less unapproachable during a case or in public.

Kaito was immediately on high alert. Nobody would be allowed to touch his soulmate without his explicit permission.

Possessiveness coming out full force, he pressed Shin close to his body, narrowing his eyes at the advancing crowd.

Aoko used the distraction to distance herself and move into the building, she needed space to think and calm down for a bit. Aoko had seen the signs, had seen the way Kaito acted around Shinichi, seen how he looked at the other boy. Still it was a hard pill to swallow to see her crush since forever be happy with another, not to mention another boy.

Shinichi pressed closer to Kaito. He was getting paranoid real quick. He wasn´t used to so much attention any longer. Attention meant being discovered, meant flight or certain death.

He forced himself to take measured calm breaths, taking comfort in Kaito´s close proximity and their shared bond. Kaito had to do the same, years on the run could not be forgotten to easily.

“Please calm down”, Shinichi´s voice cut through the excited twittering.

“I get that you are happy to see me, but please stay composed we are on school property. And before any of you ask, may I introduce my boyfriend Kuroba Kaito.”

The announcement was met with disappointed and unbelieving looks, stunned disbelieve, crushed faces, excited squeals and nosebleeds… Wait, nosebleeds? Like what the fuck.

Shinichi could swear he heard a girl scream “yaoi” and pass out with a blissed out expression.

The detected pressed even closer to Kaito if even possible. Kaito used the short moment of surprise to run, the fan girls hot on their heels soon after. Sadly, even though they were able to escape the crazed women and men, they ran right into another obstacle.

“Ran”, Kaito pressed out. At this rate he would fully turn into a caveman and just steal his soulmate away forever. There were just too many annoying pests hiding everywhere. Ran narrowed her eyes, scrutinising Kaito from head to toe. Her gaze stopped at Kaito´s hand gripping Shinichi´s wrist.

“Ran, how are you? Excited for the sports festiva?l”, the detective even tried to defuse the bomb called Ran…but well… Some things were unavoidable.

“Shinichi I would really like to talk to you for a bit, alone”, she added the last word, with a side look to Kaito. He had already been shaking his head, as soon as she had started to talk. Shinichi was similarly against separating from his lover, even only for a short discussion.

“I won´t let you kidnap my boyfriend”, he made sure to stress the word boyfriend. He swore he saw her left eye twitch.

“You don´t make decisions for him!”

“Ran, please calm down. You can say everything you want to in front of Kaito, I don’t mind.” Ran moved closer, now almost touching the detective. Kaito slung a possessive arm around Shin´s waist.

“Shinichi”, she took his free hand in hers, “you don´t need to do everything he says… Has he done something to force you into this? You have…”

“What?! No! Of course not, I love Kaito he didn´t coerce me into this relationship!”, he burst out.

Removing his hand from hers, agitated he shook his head. The outburst of emotion was unusual for Shinichi but the mere thought of his partnership with Kaito to be to so tarnished was hurting his very soul. Ran recoiled, eyes wide.

“I…okay…then…”, she stuttered. Shinichi, not wanting to lose the person he saw as his younger sister over this, gentled his voice:

“Ran, please. I can imagine you are worried, because Kaito showed up out of seemingly nowhere and goes on and changes everything. But you don´t have to be. I am sorry, I haven´t been more open about my friendship with Kaito…”

Ran shook her head. “No, it´s…I am sorry for my accusation.”

She finally noticed the other students´ stares, they were still standing in the middle of corridor, she blushed deeply mumbled something and hastily left.


	10. Above the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> School and one fake Kaito Kid...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, here I am again...sorry it took so long. Real life really got to me, fucking exams.  
> Anyway, here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it.  
> Please stay and get healthy,  
> your Addictedforevermore!

Shin signed, the day was already shaping to be fucking exhausting.

Kaito´s response was to turn his precious Shin around and press him close to his chest. The detective buried his head in his favourite spot, Kaito´s neck, and inhaled his calming scent.

“Well, that’s both of our childhood friends slash the people close to us with a big crush done.” Kaito chuckled. “Nobody will be able to take you from me.”

“Caveman.”

“Alpha-male”, he countered.

Shinichi lost himself in Kaito´s eyes, gently cupping his cheek. They only broke out of their own little world, when a person loudly cleared their throat behind them. It seemed the teacher was not too happy about their open affection.

Kaito´s response to being sent towards their classroom was to colour the hair of everyone they passed on the way there. Pink, blue and yellow were his preferred ones. With a wink Kaito also changed his and Shin´s hair to a dark blue. Akako didn´t even comment as she took her book about soulmates back.

Though Kaito didn´t seem to grow tired of proclaiming Shinichi as his, because he continued to inform the whole classroom. Shinichi exchanged a look with the witch, as she mockingly gave her compliments on their new relationship.

Hakuba was much more sceptical, already analysing them further. The teacher entered the room. Still half of their classmates were missing.

“Good morning class. You have certainly noticed your missing friends, they are as of today till the end of the week in Beika Highschool. Currently the exchange students from Beika are being shown around the school building and will join our class afterwards. Please be welcoming and Kuroba”, she fixed him with an insistent stare, “Don´t go overboard with your pranks!”

She already knew it was pointless to completely forbit him from pranking…she had learnt her lesson.

Half an hour later Kaito was twitching to hold Shinichi´s hand, when temporary transfer students arrived.

Of course amongst the group of ten people was Ran. Kaito narrowed his eyes, he would keep her under observation. Nobody was to be trusted, especially if it concerned his Shin.

“You will all have time to get to know each other later on, for now please only start with a short introduction.”

Classes ended at one pm, then a bigger break, followed by preparations for the sports festival. They played various games to get acquainted and assess each others skills. The sports festival would commerce on Friday, with each class competing.

Shinichi was mentally so done with the day when they finally left the campus around five pm.

Kaito was contend holding his hand, but he was longing for their home as well. They had become private people in their harsh future, relishing in their time alone together. To suddenly change that was hard.

But of course Shinichi´s corpse finding habits kicked in.

They were not much more than twenty metres away from the school ground as a scream tore through the air.

“Ahhh! He is dead!”

Kaito couldn´t suppress the face palm. “Let´s get this over with quickly”, Shinichi decided and ran straight to the hysterical man.

“Please calm yourself.”

Kaito was already calling the police.

Another murder he wasn´t yet familiar with, at least the changing of school and consequently location mixed up the murder cases he stumbled over. The murder had taken place in a small sport studio. A young man suddenly suffered a fainting spell and had not been able to keep up with the treadmill any longer. In consequence he was hurled from the treadmill and landed with his head against another machine, he was dead instantly.

“Inspector Megure, how are you this fine Monday?”, Kaito greeted the exasperated man.

“I was better before I ever met you.”

“That’s harsh. I feel wounded.”

“It looks like an accident”, one of the officers commented, only for Shinichi to appear next to him and prove the opposite.

“It was murder. The victim was poisoned; he would have been dead no matter the way he landed.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I recognize the signs of this specific poison.” Kaito moved closer to the victim scrutinizing him as well.

“Oh, is that Thallium poisoning?”, he inquired towards the detective. He nodded grim, suppressing a flashback.

“How?” Megure was stunned, how would a mere high school student know such a poison?

Kaito cursed himself for the slip up, how the heck would he explain his familiarity with this poison? He couldn’t very well, explain that he had almost been poised by it in the future past or that they once had been desperate enough to use it against the Black Organisation?

Definitely not, for the first statement he would be delivered straight to a clinic for the crazy and for the second jail sounded about right. So instead he lied:

“I read about it somewhere. And I heard Shinichi mumble about Thallium.” Megure swallowed the lie and turned to the detective.

“How did you recognize it?”

“Thallium is water-soluble and tasteless it can cause death in a matter of a few days with only a small dose as low as 1 gram. It affects the nervous system and various organs. The victim was often in this studio so he was well known. Other regulars have noticed strange behaviour yesterday and today, including sudden hair loss, strange shaking of his limbs, an unhealthy complexion and even vomiting. It is beyond me, why he even went to the fitness studio in his condition.”

A man, the victim´s friend, answered: “His girlfriend…wanted him to have the perfect body and he was so obsessed with her…”

“That leaves only the murderer unknown.”

“Test his body and the water he had with him. Check if the poison was in the bottle or if he indigested it and how long he was in contact with the poison. According to Jerome, the victims close friend, he only ever brought homemade lunches to work and always had a water bottle handy as well. Let´s test something, the person who killed him must know exactly that he would be in the studio again today and that his body would shut down during it or not long after. So the only person who won´t be surprised he died…”

After a few more phone calls and inquiries, they narrowed it down to the girlfriend, she was the most likely murderer.

Later Megure informed Shinichi that they had followed his plan and payed a visit to her. They told her the victim had been arrested for robbery…it didn´t take long for the woman to slip up and reveal her knowledge of his certain death.

Before the two time travellers were finally able to leave, they had to make their statement at the police station, where they met officer Takagi.

“Kudo and Kuroba it´s nice to see you again, how are you doing?”

“Annoyed by my boyfriend’s power to attract murder cases”, Kaito´s tone was a deadpan.

Takagi laughed, though when he fully registered the words said he almost choked on his spit. “Wha… Boyfriend?! Since when?”

In this moment detective Sato turned around the corner as well and immediately came over.

“What are you talking about?” Kaito grinned smugly, pulled Shinichi close to his side and declared once more:

“I asked Shin to be my boyfriend, he said yes.” Shinichi only rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

“Wow, okay I didn´t see that one coming”, Takagi was stumped.

Now it was Sato´s turn to roll her eyes: “It was so obvious, anyone could see those two were head over heels, even though I only saw them together for a short while.”

“How did he ask you? Did he do something romantic?”

“It was not a marriage proposal!” She laughed.

“No, he was mostly pissed at Ran for flirting with me and…” Kaito interrupted him indignant:

“I couldn’t allow that girl to snatch my Shinichi away!”

“I see.”

After a few more probing questions, Takagi remembered: “Kudo have you heard about the Kaito Kid heist tomorrow?”

“What, which heist?” The couple exchanged startled looks.

“Well, Kaito Kid posted it earlier today everywhere in the internet. I thought you already knew?”

“No…I didn´t have the time to check my phone yet.” Their thoughts were running amok, obviously someone was pretending to be Kid. But who?

“Did the police get a separate heist notice?”

“No, we also found out due to the internet. Detective Nakamori is already putting together a task force and trying to solve the riddle.” Kaito promptly pulled out his phone. The heist notice was everywhere in the news.

_To bring me down,_

_Some people would anchor my soul_

_To the forbidden abyss of time._

_They would nail my feet to the ground_

_And tie my body with chains of lies._

_If they find out; or just imagine –_

_That the wings of your dulcet love,_

_Take me high above the stars._

_Tomorrow when the moon stands high above I will pay you a visit._

**-The Phantom Thief Kaito Kid**

Kaito raised his eyebrows, what the fuck? That was no riddle, that was way below his standards. This so called heist notice should have been the first clue for the police they were dealing with a fake.

Shinichi seemed to share his opinion. Asking sceptically: “And inspector Nakamori hasn´t solved this yet?”

“No, he hasn´t”, Takagi answered slowly, as if sensing the deteriorating image of his and the whole police force. The detective´s shoulders slumped defeated.

“Where is inspector Nakamori? I will help him.”

A short time later he was standing in front of a blackboard with the riddle pinned on.

“Please listen for a moment sir. This so called riddle, really isn´t anything but a copied poem. The poem is called “Above the Stars” from Clairel Estevez. Basically Kid, by the way are you certain we are truly dealing with Kaito Kid here and not an imposter?” Silence enveloped the room.

One officer was hastily searching the internet for said poem.

“Sir, Kudo is correct. The poem “Above the Stars” is line for line copied on the heist notice.”

“Anyway clearly the maybe Kaito Kid is trying to steal the jewel “Twin Stars” from Suzuki Jirokichi”, he finished his slight rant.

A collective “Ah” filled the room. Shinichi retreated shaking his head, the police grew more and more stupid by the day. Kaito linked his arm with the detective, calming a building headache.

“We will take our leave now inspector.” The man was too distracted by the new discovery to even nod.

At home their first stop was the couch to cuddle. Kaito was massaging Shin´s temples a fierce scowl on his face.

“This didn´t happen in the last timeline! How can this be?”

“It´s the butterfly effect. With each different step we take, the world around us changes. We must have changed something for the them to decide to impersonate Kid and play thief. I observed the phenomena often enough in my last few lives. You can never be sure of the future.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poem really is called “Above the Stars” from Clairel Estevez.  
> I didn´t mess with that.


	11. Anything For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His voice was like steal.   
> “I will do anything, absolutely anything to make sure you survive this. You live through this hell… I won´t hesitate to kill.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And one more for you. Though I must confess, I am not completely happy with this chapter...but well...I don´t know if I will ever be. So here you go!
> 
> Thank you to my beta!

“What do you think about that fake?” Kaito was absentmindedly playing with Shin´s hands, trying to quench his growing annoyance. They had too much to deal with already, they didn´t need a fucking fake with a Kaito Kid complex.

“He or she could turn out dangerous. I have a feeling they aren´t aiming for the jewel. No, why the whole impersonation if they only want to steal…they want people to gather, maybe even the added security…”

“Assassination?”

“Possibly.”

“Do you want to make a public statement as Kaito Kid to clear things up?”

“No, this would only cause the impersonator to retreat and try a different way…”

“Yeah, let´s see how this plays out.”

When Shinichi woke on Tuesday morning an ominous feeling seemed to fill the air.

Today shit would go down and he wasn´t too sure there wouldn´t be fatalities.

As soon as the pair of them stepped out of the house he felt someone watching them. Staying relaxed he exchanged a glance with Kaito, he felt it too. Aoko was babbling about trivial things completely unaware.

Who? It wasn´t the Black Organisation, no those felt different, those sent chills down his spine…this was…different, had a lighter feeling to it. Maybe a stalker? A fan? Someone enraged about their relationship?

They would have to keep their eyes wide open. Never let your guard down, as if there was ever a moment in their lives where letting their guard down was even possible.

School went as expected, boring. Talking with Ran was awkward. Kaito found a letter in his shoe box.

“A love letter?”, Aoko questioned.

“I don´t think so.” He simply stuffed it in his school bag for later.

They sat together in the cafeteria, Hakuba, Akako, Aoko, Ran, Kaito and Shinichi. It was like a dramatic scene in an anime, every one of the important characters was present. This left only the villain. There was it again the feeling of being observed. Though it felt different again, different than this morning. Another one?

“So…”, Ran cleared her throat, “you are Kaito´s childhood friend?”

“Yes, you can call me Aoko.”

Hakuba was reading a detective novel, while Akako was staring at the time travellers with a fierce penetrating gaze. It made Kaito feel like a rare bug under a microscope.

“So how are you two doing?”, the witch inquired.

The question was a double-edged sword, the answers she wanted were not possible to give with the current company. “Good. I can finally hug my dearest one as often and as much as I want and let me tell you in bed, he…”

Skilfully Shinichi shut his lover up by shoving a handful of rice in his mouth. Ran and Aoko were rapidly turning red. Even Hakuba, who had raised a single eyebrow, seemed to be fighting a blush. Kaito always relished in these moments, when he was able to eradicate Hakuba´s composure.

“Kaito, remember… What is done in the bedroom stays in the bedroom”, Shinichi´s eyes were positively sparkling.

Only Kaito was able to correctly interpret him. The detective wasn´t pissed at Kaito, oh no he was enjoying embarrassing the others. Hakuba choked on the bit of apple he had just swallowed. The small self-satisfied grin Shin wore after had Kaito break out laughing. Though when the feeling of being watched returned, they immediately sobered up.

“By the way, have you read the love letter from earlier?”

“No, no yet.” It turned out, the letter was the complete opposite from a love letter. The author basically demanded of him to leave his filthy hands off his Shinichi and go die.

“Wow, that´s really aggressive.

”Even Hakuba had taken interest and was cautioning him. “The sender is clearly male.”

“Shinichi has a freaky obsessed admirer. Kaito, better take care of your lover, before he gets kidnapped and trapped in a basement”, Akako concluded with a creepy smile.

Hakuba was nodding along, no one was really sure if he had even heard what Akako had said or if he only agreed to her on principal because of his huge crush.

Meanwhile, Kaito had tensed and was now positively bursting with murderous energy. Shinichi planted a soft kiss on his cheek and pulled him close to his chest.

“Calm, no one will separate us”, he whispered in his ear, assuring them both.

He was well aware that Kaito would not for a second shy away from killing someone should they hurt him. Too be honest the detective wouldn´t either, Kaito stood above all, stood above his once untouchable sense of justice. Shinichi thought back to the night this became an indisputable fact.

**Flashback:**

They had been found out.

Their hideout raided in the middle of the night.

Only their elaborate alarm system gave them a warning, but by then it was already almost too late.

Kaito immediately jumped to his feet, eyes wide in horror, scanning their current bedroom. Shinichi was up not a second later, they had been cuddling in their sleep.

Shinichi needed only one glace at Kaito´s demeanour to understand, he waited no longer to press the emergency button. It would wake the rest of their sleeping comrades, without the invaders noticing.

With a puff of smoke, the magician had changed both their clothing. While the detective hastily grabbed their weapons, shoving a few more essentials into their ready bag and slipped on combat boots as well as a bullet proof vest. Small flashlights at the ready they moved closer to the door, listening for any sounds.

Though before Kaito opened the door, he leaned close to his love, pressing a quick heated kiss to his lips. In their sign language one clear message was exchanged.

“I love you.”

“Don´t die on me”, was the next one.

It seemed the Black Organisation hadn´t yet made it up to the top floor, they had to be cautious after all… One never knew what types of traps their victims had laid.

In the hallway the lovers met up with Akai, Haibara and Agasa. All in their various sleep wear, but holing weapons and bags. They had no other choice but to flee, they were currently in the disadvantage.

Luckily there was a widow in the back, which lead in to a narrow alley, their escape route.

An explosion from downstairs made them give up on being too quiet.

FASTER!

RUN!

Skidding into the last room on the corridor, Kaito swiftly moved the huge painting out of the way, revealing the window. He unlocked it.

The footsteps were coming closer. The Org had obviously given up on the silence as well, in favour of shouting and banging on doors.

Akai was the first one to take the leap, followed by Haibara and Agasa, Shinichi and lastly Kaito, who reassembled the painting and closed the window behind them to conceal their escape route.

A gun shoot.

Fuck!

The moment Shinichi landed on the mattress, they had conveniently placed there, he had to duck behind a trashcan. They had known.

He peeked around his hiding spot, the sun was just rising, giving him just enough light to see everything. Akai had taken up cover behind an old fridge, shooting back as good as he got. The alley was used to park trash. Now this trash was the only thing standing between them and certain death.

Fuck! Haibara had been shot in the leg, hunching behind a rotting wardrobe. Agasa was able to find a spot crouching low next to her.

Kaito descended shooting and throwing small grenades. Shinichi used this moment to advance forward. Agasa was tying his jacket as a makeshift bandage around Ai´s leg.

Shit, shit…they needed a way out. By now the few members of the Black Org who had been guarding their escape route had probably already sent for reinforcements. A few metres away from their cover was a doorway.

“Kaito!”, he got the attention of the thief, gesturing to the doorway. He nodded. Shinichi crouched down next to Ai. She was in her adult form, had no choice if she wanted to even start to defend herself. Too dangerous staying a grade schooler, when one was hiding from and chasing a dangerous murderous Organisation.

“The doorway! I will carry her.” Agasa nodded, face white with fright.

Shinichi opened fire again, covering his lover. Kaito had long since given up on his all white Kaito Kid get-up. Too flashy. Right now he was glad in all black, almost invisible how fast he flashed to the doorway. Silent cursing, the door creaked open. Kaito gave a thumbs up.

Agasa was the first one to ran forward. They were running out of bullets fast, no time to recharge. Kaito threw another grenade. Shinichi hefted Ai up and dashed forward. Sharp pain blossomed in his side. He bit his lip, almost jumping through the doorway, landing on his knees still clutching Ai.

“Shinichi!”

In the next moment Agasa pulled Ai out of his arms and into a standing position. A flashlight illuminated the dark backroom, Akai was checking his guns, Kaito was barricading the door behind them. No time to lose.

“Move, we need to move on”, Akai urged.

Kaito was next to him.

“You are hurt!” Pressing his side, Shinichi answered breathing heavily:

“Fine, only a graze.” They had no time to patch him up anyway.

The rest of their escape blurred into running, hiding, searing pain in his side and finally ground shaking relieve, when they were all packed in their escape car and on their way to a for now empty standing house, currently for sale. Shinichi was heavily leaning on Kaito, who had warped his side with a bandage. It would need to be stitched. A few hours later Shinichi was glad, in fresh blood-free clothing, lying in bed, his side stitched up neatly. Kaito was sitting on the bed next to him, holding him close like he was his last lifeline.

“Shinichi, Shinichi, Shinichi…”, he was repeating almost frantically.

The detective could only keep up a string of murmured reassurances, carefully as not to aggravate his wound, caressing his arms.

Suddenly, Kaito jerkily ripped himself away from Shinichi, while still keeping a firm grip on his lover´s arms. The detective jerked, only to be captivated by his lover´s insistent gaze.

“Shinichi, I can´t lose you!”

His voice hitched. “Today was too…if the shot had been only a few millimetres to the right…fuck I could have…you could have died there!”

“Kai…”

“Don´t, let me… I…in that moment I knew.” Kaito´s grip gentled a bit more, leaning his forehead against Shinichi´s and simply breathing in and out.

Moving back again, his voice was like steal. “I will do anything, absolutely anything to make sure you survive this. You live through this hell… I won´t hesitate to kill.”

He held his breath after the last statement, waiting for Shinichi to admonish him, for his strong sense for righteousness to kick in. Only for the detective to sign and slump slightly. He winced but raised his arm to cup Kaito´s cheek in his hand.

“Me, too.” The thief could only gape.

“Huh.”

“Me, too. I will do anything to protect you. Maybe it´s time we start playing dirty as well.” A single tear escaped Kaito´s eye.

“My detective, my strong detective. I am sorry…” He moved his hand above the one cupping his cheek, moving their hands back down, intertwining their fingers.

“For me, for this fucking hell, you have to go against all you ever stood for.” He placed a soft kiss to his thief´s lips. “You have nothing to be sorry for. If we were to blame someone, I would always blame the Black Organisation for pushing me this far.”

The rest of the night, the two held each other close, Kaito listened to Shinichi´s heartbeat, calming only slowly.


	12. Marriage Intentions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stalkers and a ball!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all had a nice relaxing Christmas and weren´t too lonely at New Years.  
> Let´s start this year with a positive note, it can´t get much worse than 2020 afterall. Oh, hopefully I didn´t jinx anything...
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy my first update in 2021!   
> Thank you, for your wonderful comments and the kudos! They always make me smile like crazy.  
> And of course big thanks to my beta!
> 
> Stay or get healthy,   
> your Addictedforevermore!

**Back to the present:**

“Do you think this freaky obsessed admirer is the one we feel?”, Shinichi speculated towards Kaito.

“What do you mean?”, Hakuba butted in. He was supposed to hear them.

“We have felt someone watching us all morning.”

“Be careful.” That went without saying.

They rest of the school day crept by slowly.

Someone was still observing them on and off, two people…their stares different than the usual fangirls and boys.

It was five a clock in the evening by now, only seven hours till midnight, till they had to make sure the fake was caught.

A few times Shinichi caught a glimpse of a middle-aged couple. He had his theories.

Meanwhile their soulmate bond was growing stronger. Kaito swore he heard one of Shinichi´s thoughts.

At around six a clock in the evening, the detective and the thief made their way to the huge mansion of one Suzuki Jirokichi, Sonoko´s uncle. Ran and Sonoko were waiting in the entrance hall for the both of them, making sure they passed the security and made it inside without a hitch.

The ball this evening was a high society event, only a few reporters were allowed inside and the guest list was filled with high profile people, spanning from big company bosses to the Superintendent General Hakuba of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Though the famous high school detective Kudo Shinichi had no problems being welcomed in either, never mind the connection he had with the hosts niece.

They both wore formal attire blending into the crowd without a hitch.

“I am surprised you wanted to come as well, Shinichi”, Sonoko commented as they made their way into the main hall. Various art pieces were scattered around the tasteful decorated rooms, of course all utterly priceless and one of a kind.

“Oh, Shinichi is probably only here for Kaito Kid.”

“That´s correct. Though I have my misgivings if this really is a Kid heist.”

“Why would you think that?”

Meanwhile Kaito had been highjacked by Sonoko, she wanted to find out more about the man who had snatched Shinichi.

“So, you are the famous Kuroba Kaito”, her stare was penetrating, openly scrutinizing.

Kaito kept up his cheerful masquerade.

Another one who wants to steal my Shin away!

She was a spoilt rich girl, an only child, she got whatever she wanted…though his Shinichi had explained to him, that Sonoko had given them quiet the huge sum of money for their not so legal undertaking once upon a timeline. So for now he would reserve his judgement. Additionally, he remembered meeting that girl in one of his heists before, she was a big fan, with a sizeable crush on Kaito Kid if he remembered her correctly.

“True. It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Suzuki.”

“Mmm, what are your intentions towards Shinichi?” Oh, wow…she cut right through the chase.

“I love him. So my plan would be, marry him and keep him all to myself”, he grinned.

“M…marry him?!”, she shrieked, her face rapidly turning red, her eyes taking on a scary glaze. Was she all right?

“Oh oh…that”, she was breathing heavily, “moeeeee!”

Oh, fuck another yaoi fangirl! They seem to be multiplying!

He hastily made his way closer to his Shinichi again. “Wait! I need to know more!”, guests were already shooting her irritated glares. She was too noisy! “Please, control yourself miss…”

“Sonoko?”, Ran inquired concerned. The Suzuki heiress took several deep breaths. For now, the crisis was averted.

Shinichi had taken one look at Sonoko´s demeanour and chuckled. At least they would not have to reckon with too much force from Sonoko´s side about breaking up.

The main room was taken by a huge circular stage, surrounded on all sides by dinner tables with chairs and a few high tables. First thing on the agenda was the banquet followed by a few musical performances and afterwards right when the clock would strike twelve was the reveal of the main piece. The “Twin Stars” two magnificent jewel earrings, which were said to have been lost two hundred years ago. Recently found again and now presented to the public only for this special event.

They searched for a free table, interestingly enough they were no seat assignments. Which would certainly make for a few interesting conversations.

Just when Shinichi was about to sit down he was approached by an older woman. Her outer appearance didn´t strike him as familiar, though the aura around her somehow was.

“Good evening, young man. You wouldn´t be the famous highschool detective Kudo Shinishi?”, she smiled friendly, holding a lilac pouch to her chest.

“Indeed, you recognized me. May I know you name as well, Mrs?”

“Oh, how embarrassing to forget my manners in this way. Anne Tyler, pleased to meet you. What brings someone so young to this stuffy event?”, she grinned.

“Of course the marvellous company, Mrs”, he answered, without giving away the slightest bit of information.

Everyone was a potential enemy.

Kaito moved a bit closer to his side, swept in a bow and held out a rose to the Mrs Tyler.

“It is wonderful to make your acquaintance as well. Kuroba Kaito.”

“How charming. Well then, let me introduce my husband as well”, she waved an elderly man over, who was currently talking with a prominent author.

The time travellers immediately noticed the forced way he was walking over to them, almost as if he was unfamiliar with the way he was moving. Was he hiding an injury? Or…rather than that… Kaito and Shin exchanged a short communication via tapping, it went completely unnoticed.

“Good evening.” Before the man could say much more than those two words, another voice interrupted him.

“Oh if it isn´t the famous detective! I am so fortunate to meet you in person”, it was a young woman in her early twenties, her long red her was tied in a high bun, the green ball gown almost seemed like a second skin. She was a more or less well-known TV-moderator.

“Please, I have the honour meeting you Miss Adele.” In the corner of his eye Shinichi noticed a perplexed look fly over Mrs Tyler´s face at his almost humble behaviour.

Normally he would act a bit more arrogant in public, but Kaito had a talk with him about that…and so here he was, trying not the agonize the public any longer.

Kaito had proclaimed he was more than enough to protect his lover from fans and the like. The detective had easily ignored the scary glint in Kaito´s eyes when he had made this announcement.

The woman pressed closer to Shinichi. Before he could move back or explain to her, the thief had already made his move. He pressed Shinichi close to his body and spoke with a possessive tone:

“Miss, please keep your distance. I am quite possessive of my boyfriend.” The woman froze immediately.

“Oh, wow, okay…sorry”, not knowing how to act she excused herself stuttering. Shin only rolled his eyes at Kaito´s satisfied smirk.

“Maybe I should buy you an engagement ring as a bug repellent”, he whispered in his ear. A warm shudder went down his body, he chuckled.

“Already planning our wedding, are you?”

“Oh, yes. I did announce my marriage intentions to Miss Suzuki, I intend to follow up on them.”

“You did, huh”, smiling Shinichi planted a kiss on Kaito´s cheek. While both of them were flirting, they never lost their sense for their surroundings, never let their guard down. The older couple was all but gaping at them.

“We..dding”, the Mister Tyler stuttered, while Mrs Tyler had gripped her husband and was almost bouncing on her feet.

“Please find yourselves a seat, the first course will start soon”, the announcement filled the hall.


	13. Revengers and bombs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revengers at the ball.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And one more chapter for you...
> 
> Now, only one last chapter is missing, this fanfiction is coming to an end...sadly.

The following dinner was uneventful, it was filled with the older couple subtly trying to dig for information on the time travellers, all the while spinning tales of their youth.

If only Shinichi couldn´t tell when someone was lying, maybe then they would have believed their tales.

Now though, the soulmates were making it a game to let the older couple talk and pry, all the while giving away as minimal and insignificant information as possible.

In the end, the only new things the probers learnt were that Shinichi liked the colour azure blue, because it was Kaito´s eye colour and Kaito was fond of the pancakes Shinichi made.

Twelve a clock arrived.

The lights went out, only a single spotlight illuminated the stage. On the stage was a single display cabinet, concealed by a black curtain. Suzuki Jirokichi entered the stage.

“I am pleased you have come in such large numbers to take part in this unique moment.” Just as Suzuki was lifting the curtain with a flourish two screams tore through the room.

“AHHHH!”

“AHH!”

“Don´t move an inch of I will cut your throat!”

“Don´t even twitch!”

Seconds later all lights went on again, nobody was looking at the stage, all eyes were directed to two waiters holding knives at their victim’s throats.

Shinichi immediately scanned them.

Both attackers dressed in tonight’s waiters uniform were tall, sturdy men, fully capable of holding their victims still and do serious damage to, if not outright kill, them. The look in their eyes was full of determination, fury and not a hint of hesitation or remorse. Their victims, one was skinny and tall with a faint complexion, dressed in the finest clothes almost screaming his wealth through various jewellery and trinkets. Just from a short deduction Shinichi could tell, that this man was no one he wanted to get to know. He was cowardly shivering, babbling away:

“Wh..what do you want? Mo…money? I can give you so much money you will be able to bathe in it…I…please…”, the knife-holder grew more and more disgusted with each word.

The other victim didn´t do much better for himself, average height, with a huge belly and thick ring adored fingers, gripping desperately at his capturers arm.

“Don´t move or we will kill them right on the spot!” Two more waiters and one guest separated for the crowd and moved to the exists.

“No one will leave before we have exposed all there is to know about these despicable men! And should any of you present even think about doing something either way…we have planted two bombs, one button and the whole room will blow up.”

None of the attackers showed any surprise at this information, nor did they believe their leader a liar.

Fuck, there truly were bombs.

Kaito moved closer, tapping Shinichi´s leg with their code. There were too many to tackle at the same time…first came the victim’s or rather… Kaito was primarily concerned about the bombs, those needed to be found and disabled. Obviously those two men held at knife-point weren´t innocent…

“Let the show begin”. Their spokesperson was a middle-aged woman, dressed in kitchen garb. She was plain looking, her hair tied back in a simple ponytail, though she was holding a knife as well…each of the attackers was holding one. They would go down fighting.

“This man”, she was gesturing towards the fat one, “is a famous lawyer, Wilhelm Rich. He is utterly corrupt. Next to him is our dear friend Thomas Clarkson his accomplice.”

Then she went on to explain, how Clarkson had worked for the rich folk, had let himself be bribed and consequently cheated them of their houses, jobs, livelihoods.

“He caused some of us to lose children, some were even driven into committing suicide. Judge Rich knew of this, naturally. Letting himself be bought as well, following the trail of money like some vulture.” She was heaving, face red, grip bruising around her knife.

“Not any longer! We will make sure those two will get what they deserve, will feel the pain and humiliation we felt. Their victims will finally get justice!”

Slowly Shinichi and Kaito had moved towards strategic points. Kaito winked at him one moment and then the lights went out once more. Irate screams, panicked whispering, a bang and then the spotlight for the stage went on again. Illuminating a certain moonlight thief.

“Good evening ladies and gentleman. You should be delighted that I decided to grace you with my presence tonight, after some amateur, faked my Kid heist notice…” He twirled around, facing the attackers.

During this, Shinichi had ducked and promptly vanished underneath the large tables.

Now, where to hide a bomb?

He wished he had his night glasses, but for now his small flashlight had to be enough.

The bomb could be everywhere, they probably had another accomplice amongst the guests… Search for larger bags, underneath the tables…nowhere the bomb could be found accidently.

It wasn´t easy crawling around in the dark, trying not to touch any of the guests. One shout could betray his presence and the attackers would start acting violent.

Luckily he had spent a lot of time with his Kaito, and some of his luck must have rubbed of off him.

The first bomb was found rather quickly; it was taped to the underside of a table. No display of shimmering red numbers in the dark, the bomb wasn´t yet activated and probably didn´t have a timer.

One button would in a matter of seconds decide over life or death.

He hesitated. It would be risky, but…the pros conquered the cons arguments. He carefully undid the tape, taking a deep breath he disassembled it. With the help of his phone, a knife and a fork he had taken from his table setting, as well as years of experience he managed to track the bombs signal to the other bomb.

Wait!

Bombs…fuck there were two more bombs not one!

Shit, god damn it, had he not tracked the signal he would have certainly missed the third one.

He deactivated the bomb, after having saved the locations on his phone.

One down. Two more to go.

He studied the phone map, one bomb was placed exactly in the centre of the ball room. He was absolutely certain he had already crawled underneath the relevant table. The bomb couldn’t be placed on top of the table; the decoration was too small to hide it.

He peeked from underneath the table cloth. The chandelier!

That was a job for his lover…how to notify him?

And the last one?

A woman twitched when he accidently touched he leg. He held his breath. She kept quiet.

Moving onward. The lights still hadn´t come on again, Kaito was working his magic. But even he wouldn´t hold out much longer.

A small droplet of sweat rolled down his forehead, urgh he never liked stiff formal attire.

Meanwhile Kaito was slowly running out of things to say. He could only do so much till the attackers would threaten to hurt someone.

Maybe… He wished desperately for a way to be able to communicate with his detective, the phone was too risky…at least on his end. Writing a message and reading it were too totally different things.

How much more time did Shinichi need?

How soon would the bombs go off after pressing the button?

He took a deep breath, never showing his inner tumult, his pokerfaced was perfect.

Honestly, he didn´t care much about those two corrupt men.

The only thing, which could truly fill him with terror these days way losing his soulmate. And even then…he would die soon after…

Maybe, he should get rid of this devil may care attitude.

“Stop this nonsense or we will start drawing blood!” Kaito nodded gravely in return, think fast!

His phone vibrated in his pocket. Shinichi!

Skilfully, he managed to check the message without his audience noticing, he wasn´t a master magician for nothing.

_Bomb in centre chandelier - > deactivate by cutting red and then blue -> show bomb after_

He grinned.

Finally, he could get this show on the road. With glee he threw five different smoke bombs, enveloping all of the attackers and some guests. Leaping in the next second.

When the smoke cleared, he was back on stage, cheekily holding the disabled bomb.

“Here we go, I have something of yours! Would you like it back?” The two attackers holding the hostages twitched nervously. The spokeswoman only laughed out loud.

“Do you really believe we only planted one?!”

Kaito raised his eyebrow. “Do you really believe I only disabled one?”

Now she turned nervous, bravely holding on to her superior attitude.

Kaito jumped form the stage, calmly walking closer.

Shinichi wouldn’t have written him what he did, had he not made sure all bombs were out of the game. Which left…playing with some fools armed with knives.

Kaito´s grin widened even more when he spotted his detective crouching below a nearby table.

A lot of things happened at the same time.

The lights turned back on.

Confetti rained from the chandelier.

Shinichi knocked out the spokeswoman.

Kaito tested his new pink rubber trap.

“Nakamori! Apprehend the people guarding the exit!”, Shinichi barked.

His command echoing through the hall, filling even those with yearlong military experience with the almost unbearable need to follow the order.

Screams, shuffling, breaking glass…in the end the police had the attackers captured.

Shinichi didn´t care to watch them, he was much more interested in the pink trap the two hostages and attackers were encased. It looked and felt like some kind of huge chewing gum, which had dried the second it had made contact with its victims. Kaito was twirling their knives, bowing to some of the audience and puffed out in a cloud of blue smoke.

Kuroba Kaito reappeared as if he had never left, right next to Shinichi.

“Good job”, Shinichi praised, kissing him smack on the lips.

“I can only give the compliment back.”

The reveal of the priceless earrings had been postponed, the ball guests were being evacuated as a precaution. Suzuki Jirokichi had been delighted by Kid´s presence never mind the fact he only came because some revengers wanted to air out corrupt men.

The old couple from their table managed to intercept them at the exit.

“Young man, you were very brave!” Shinichi sighed…enough is enough, he wanted to go home and cuddle with his dearest one.

“Mom, dad please stop with this charade.” Mrs Tyler´s or well Mrs Kudo´s face fell into a pout.

Mister Kudo only grinned, he had been quite sure they wouldn´t be able to fool their son long, but still he managed to out them quicker than he thought possible.

“How?”, Yukiko Kudo was sulking.

“Can we discuss this tomorrow?” Shinichi was so done.

Kaito came to his help as alwayss. “Yes, it´s really lovely to officially meet the parents of my boyfriend, but it would be rather nice to see your actual faces”, he gave a charming smile and produced a pink rose from somewhere.

“Oh, what a gentleman. Very well, let´s meet for dinner tomorrow as it is still a weekday. I am guessing you will be going home with your lover?”, There was a strange twinkle in her eyes.

“Yes”, was his short replay, he suppressed a small blush.

Kaito grinned, pulling his soulmate close by the waist. Yukiko was giggling, giggling like a schoolgirl with a crush.

As they walked away, Shinichi could hear her wistful comment:

“Oh, how I wanted to have grandchildren…” Shinichi buried his face in Kaito´s neck. Better stop the wishful thinking, though hope had already found an insistent place in his heart.

Wednesday morning inspector Nakamori wanted to know exactly how he had found and disabled the bombs.

“And where was the third one?”

“In a woman´s handbag, I used the diversion Kaito Kid created and stole it right out of her bag.” He said with a shrug.

“How did Kaito Kid know of the bomb in the chandelier?” He could only shrug.

“I don´t know, but I am glad he did.”

**Author's Note:**

> As always please leave kudos or comments.  
> I love to hear from you guys. 
> 
> Stay or get healthy,  
> your Addictedforevermore!


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